Document Document Title
US09425393B2 Non-volatile resistance-switching thin film devices
Disclosed herein are resistive switching devices having, e.g., an amorphous layer comprised of an insulating aluminum-based or silicon-based material and a conducting material. The amorphous layer may be disposed between two or more electrodes and be capable of switching between at least two resistance states. Circuits and memory devices including resistive switching devices are also disclosed, and a composition of matter involving an insulating aluminum-based or an silicon-based material and a conducting material. Also disclosed herein are methods for switching the resistance of an amorphous material.
US09425391B1 Damascene process of RRAM top electrodes
A method is provided for manufacturing a memory. An insulating layer is formed over an array of interlayer conductors, and etched to define a first opening corresponding to a first interlayer conductor in the array, where the etching stops at a first top surface of the first interlayer conductor. A metal oxide layer is formed on the first top surface. A first layer of barrier material is deposited conformal with and contacting the metal oxide layer and surfaces of the first opening. Subsequently the insulating layer is etched to define a second opening corresponding to a second interlayer conductor in the array, where the etching stops at a second top surface of the second interlayer conductor. A second layer of barrier material is deposited conformal with and contacting the first layer of barrier material in the first opening. The first opening is filled with a conductive material.
US09425386B2 Electronic device with ring-connected hall effect regions
An electronic device includes a number of n Hall effect regions with n>1, wherein the n Hall effect regions are isolated from each other. The electronic device also includes at least eight contacts in or on surfaces of the n Hall effect regions, wherein the contacts include: a first and a second contact of each Hall effect region. A first contact of the (k+1)-th Hall effect region is connected to the second contact of the k-th Hall effect region for k=1 to n−1, and the first contact of the first Hall effect region is connected to the second contact of the n-th Hall effect region. The at least eight contacts include at least two supply contacts and at least two sense contacts. Each Hall effect region includes at most one of the at least two supply contacts and at most one of the at least two sense contacts.
US09425381B2 Low voltage transistor and logic devices with multiple, stacked piezoelectronic layers
A piezoelectronic transistor device includes a first piezoelectric (PE) layer, a second PE layer, and a piezoresistive (PR) layer arranged in a stacked configuration, wherein an electrical resistance of the PR layer is dependent upon an applied voltage across the first and second PE layers by an applied pressure to the PR layer by the first and second PE layers. A piezoelectronic logic device includes a first and second piezoelectric transistor (PET), wherein the first and second PE layers of the first PET have a smaller cross sectional area than those of the second PET, such that a voltage drop across the PE layers of the first PET creates a first pressure in the PR layer of the first PET that is smaller than a second pressure in the PR layer of the second PET created by the same voltage drop across the PE layers of the second PET.
US09425370B2 Method for producing a striplight and striplight
A method for producing a striplight is disclosed. Said method utilizing at least the following steps: (a) providing a strip-shaped carrier, which is populated on at least one side with a plurality of semiconductor light sources; (b) arranging at least one electrical line on the carrier; and (c) casting the at least one electrical line on the carrier. A striplight which has: a strip-shaped carrier, populated on at least one side with a plurality of semiconductor light sources; at least one electrical line, which is arranged on the carrier; and joint casting of the carrier and the at least one electrical line, is likewise disclosed.
US09425365B2 Lighting device having highly luminescent quantum dots
Lighting devices having highly luminescent quantum dots are described. In an example, a lighting apparatus includes a housing structure or a substrate. The lighting apparatus also includes a light emitting diode supported within the housing structure or disposed on the substrate, respectively. The lighting apparatus also includes a light conversion layer disposed above the light emitting diode. The light conversion layer includes a plurality of quantum dots. Each quantum dot includes an anisotropic nanocrystalline core having a first semiconductor material and having an aspect ratio between, but not including, 1.0 and 2.0. Each quantum dot also includes a nanocrystalline shell having a second, different, semiconductor material at least partially surrounding the anisotropic nanocrystalline core.
US09425363B2 Light emitting device
A light-emitting device is disclosed and comprises: a semiconductor stack; a transparent substrate comprising a first material; a bonding layer which bonds the semiconductor stack and the transparent substrate; and a medium in the transparent substrate, the medium comprising a second material different from the first material.
US09425362B2 Light emitting device
A light-emitting device is disclosed, comprising a substrate; a light-emitting structure on the substrate comprising a first region and a second region; a barrier layer on the first region having a bottom surface and a sidewall, wherein an angle between the sidewall and the bottom surface is between 10°70°; and a transparent conductive layer formed on the light-emitting structure and the barrier layer; wherein a difference between a thickness of the transparent conductive layer at the sidewall on the barrier layer and a thickness of the transparent conductive layer on the second region of the light-emitting structure forms a ratio not larger than 10 %.
US09425345B2 Epitaxial wafer and manufacturing method thereof
A method for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer for manufacture of an image pickup device, wherein, before the growth of the epitaxial layer, a thickness X of a region where oxygen concentration in the epitaxial layer becomes 4×1017 atoms/cm3 or more after the manufacture of the image pickup device is calculated and, in the growth of the epitaxial layer, the epitaxial layer is grown with a thickness such that a thickness of a region where the oxygen concentration in the epitaxial layer is less than 4×1017 atoms/cm3 after the manufacture of the image pickup device is 6 μm or more in addition to the thickness X. As a result, it is possible to provide the epitaxial wafer in which an adverse effect of an impurity such as oxygen in the silicon wafer is not exerted on an image pickup device forming portion of the epitaxial layer and a manufacturing method thereof.
US09425340B2 Solar cell and solar cell module
To provide a solar cell having improved photoelectric conversion efficiency and a solar cell module. A solar cell (10) is provided with a photoelectric conversion portion (20), a light receiving surface electrode (21a) and a back surface electrode (21b). The light receiving surface electrode (21a) is arranged on the light receiving surface (20a) of the photoelectric conversion portion (20). The back surface electrode (21b) is arranged on the back surface (20b) of the photoelectric conversion portion (20). The back surface electrode (21b) includes metal film (21b1) and an electrical connection electrode (21b2). The metal film (21b1) at least partially covers the back surface (20b). The electrical connection electrode (21b2) is arranged on the metal film (21b1).
US09425336B2 Photo active layer by silicon quantum dot and the fabrication method thereof
Provided is a photo active layer for a solar cell or a light emitting diode and a fabricating method thereof. The photo active layer is formed by alternately stacking silicon quantum dot layers in which a plurality of silicon quantum dots containing conductive type impurities are formed in a medium, which is a silicon compound, and conductive layers, which are polycrystalline silicon layers, containing the same conductive type impurities as those of the silicon quantum dots.
US09425333B2 Method for producing a solar cell
A device including a surface layer of a selected material in a predetermined pattern on a substrate surface. A groove or ridge arranged in the substrate surface includes a bottom or top face, respectively, and at least one side face sloping relative to the bottom or top face. The surface layer is deposited on a part of the substrate including the groove or ridge by vacuum chamber sputtering the selected material from a sputtering source while moving the substrate past the sputtering source in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sputtering main lobe direction and with a normal to the substrate surface substantially in a predefined angle with the main lobe direction. By uniformly etching away surface layer material deposited on the substrate by the sputtering until freeing a substantial part of the side face, the predetermined pattern becomes defined substantially by the bottom face or the top face.
US09425330B2 Metal oxide metal capacitor with slot vias
A capacitor includes a first electrode including a plurality of first conductive lines, at least one first via, and at least one second via. The first conductive lines are parallel and connected to a first periphery conductive line. The first conductor lines in adjacent layers are coupled by the at least one first and second via. The at least one first via has a first length, and the at least one second via has a second length. The capacitor includes a second electrode opposite to the first electrode. The second electrode includes a plurality of second conductive lines and at least one third via. The second conductive lines are parallel and connected to a second periphery conductive line. The second conductor lines in adjacent layers are coupled by the at least one third via. The capacitor includes at least one oxide layer between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09425328B2 Through silicon via including multi-material fill
An apparatus includes a substrate having at least one via disposed in the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a trench having a substantially trapezoidal cross-section, the trench extending through the substrate between a lower surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the top of the trench opens to a top opening, and the bottom of the trench opens to a bottom opening, the top opening being larger than the bottom opening. The apparatus can include a mouth surrounding the top opening and extending between the upper surface and the top opening, wherein a mouth opening in the upper surface is larger than the top opening of the trench, wherein the via includes a dielectric layer disposed on an inside surface of a trench. The apparatus includes and a fill disposed in the trench, with the dielectric layer sandwiched between the fill and the substrate.
US09425327B2 Junction field effect transistor cell with lateral channel region
A junction field effect transistor cell of a semiconductor device includes a top gate region, a lateral channel region and a buried gate region arranged along a vertical direction. The lateral channel region includes first zones of a first conductivity type and second zones of a second conductivity type which alternate along a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. A pinch-off voltage of the junction field effect transistor cell does not depend, or only to a low degree depends, on a vertical extension of the lateral channel region.
US09425326B2 Vertical memory device and method for making thereof
Described herein is a method for forming a vertical memory device (150) having a vertical channel region (113) sandwiched between a source region (109, 112) and a drain region (114). A charge trapping layer (106) is provided either side of the vertical channel region (113) and associated source and drain regions (109, 112, 114). The source region (109, 112) comprises a junction between a first region (109) comprising a first doping type with a first doping concentration and a second region (112) comprising a second doping type which is opposite to the first doping type and with a second doping concentration. The drain region (114) comprises the first doping type with a first doping concentration. In another embodiment, the drain region has two regions of differing doping types and concentrations and the source region comprises the first doping type with the first doping concentration.
US09425325B2 Electrically programmable and eraseable memory device
The present claimed subject matter is directed to memory device that includes substrate, a tunneling layer over the substrate, a floating gate over the tunneling layer, a dielectric over the floating gate and including silicon oxynitride, and a control gate over the dielectric.
US09425323B2 Thin film, method of forming thin film, semiconductor device including thin film, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A thin film, a method of forming the thin film, a semiconductor device including the thin film, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device include forming a thin film including a metal oxynitride, and treating the thin film with inert gas ions so as to stabilize properties of the thin film. The metal oxynitride may include zinc oxynitride (ZnOxNy). The inert gas ions may include at least one of Ar ions and Ne ions. The treating of the thin film with the inert gas ions may be performed by a sputtering process, a plasma treatment process, or the like.
US09425318B1 Integrated circuits with fets having nanowires and methods of manufacturing the same
Integrated circuits and methods for producing the same are provided. A method for producing an integrated circuit includes forming a stack overlying a substrate. The stack includes a silicon germanium layer and a silicon layer, where the silicon germanium layer has a first germanium concentration. The stack is condensed to produce a second germanium concentration in the germanium layer, where the second germanium concentration is greater than the first germanium concentration. A fin is formed that includes the stack, and a gate is formed overlying the fin.
US09425315B2 FinFET semiconductor device with isolated fins made of alternative channel materials
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, oxidizing a lower portion of an initial fin structure to thereby define an isolation region that vertically separates an upper portion of the initial fin structure from a semiconducting substrate, performing a recess etching process to remove a portion of the upper portion of the initial fin structure so as to define a recessed fin portion, forming a replacement fin on the recessed fin portion so as to define a final fin structure comprised of the replacement fin and the recessed fin portion, and forming a gate structure around at least a portion of the replacement fin.
US09425307B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type between the first electrode and the second electrode, a plurality of second semiconductor regions of a second conductivity type selectively provided between the first semiconductor region and the second electrode, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided between each of the second semiconductor regions and the second electrode, an insulating film provided on the first semiconductor region in a location between adjacent second semiconductor regions, the second semiconductor regions, and the third semiconductor region; and a third electrode located over the insulating film, wherein a portion of the insulating film and the third electrode extend inwardly of the second semiconductor regions.
US09425305B2 Structures of and methods of fabricating split gate MIS devices
A split gate field effect transistor device. The device includes a split gate structure having a trench, a gate electrode and a source electrode. A first poly layer is disposed within the trench and is connected to the gate electrode. A second poly layer connected to the source electrode, wherein the first poly layer and the second poly layer are independent.
US09425304B2 Transistor structure with improved unclamped inductive switching immunity
A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor structure with improved unclamped inductive switching immunity. The LDMOS includes a substrate and an adjacent epitaxial layer both of a first conductivity type. A gate structure is above the epitaxial layer. A drain region and a source region, both of a second conductivity type, are within the epitaxial layer. A channel is formed between the source and drain region and arranged below the gate structure. A body structure of the first conductivity type is at least partially formed under the gate structure and extends laterally under the source region, wherein the epitaxial layer is less doped than the body structure. A conductive trench-like feed-through element passes through the epitaxial layer and contacts the substrate and the source region. The LDMOS includes a tub region of the first conductivity type formed under the source region, and adjacent laterally to and in contact with said body structure and said trench-like feed-through element.
US09425302B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a source electrode portion and a drain electrode formed on a semiconductor stacked body so as to be at an interval from each other, and a gate electrode formed between the source electrode portion and the drain electrode at an interval from the source electrode portion and the drain electrode. The source electrode portion includes a first recess electrode being directly in contact with a two-dimensional electron gas layer formed in the first nitride semiconductor layer, and a surface electrode formed between the gate electrode and the first recess electrode and connected conductively to the two-dimensional electron gas layer. A source potential is applied to the surface electrode and the recess electrode, and a width of the surface electrode in a gate-source direction is 0.4 times or more a distance between a gate-side end of the surface electrode and a source-side end of the gate electrode.
US09425300B2 Semiconductor structure and method of forming the same
A semiconductor structure includes a first III-V compound layer. A second III-V compound layer is over the first III-V compound layer and is different from the first III-V compound layer in composition. A carrier channel is located at an interface of the first III-V compound layer and the second III-V compound layer. A dielectric cap layer is over the second III-V compound layer and a protection layer is over the dielectric cap layer. Slanted field plates are in a combined opening in the dielectric cap layer and protection layer.
US09425298B2 Lateral bipolar transistor
A bipolar junction transistor comprises a semiconductor layer disposed on an insulating material, at least a portion of the semiconductor layer forming a base region. The bipolar junction transistor further comprises a transistor emitter laterally disposed on a first side of the base region, where in the transistor emitter is a first doping type and has a first width, and wherein the first width is a lithographic feature size. The bipolar junction transistor further comprises a transistor collector laterally disposed on a second side of the base region, wherein the transistor collector is the first doping type and the first width. The bipolar junction transistor further comprises a central base contact laterally disposed on the base region between the transistor emitter and the transistor collector, wherein the central base contact is a second doping type and has a second width, and wherein the second width is a sub-lithographic feature size.
US09425293B1 Stacked nanowires with multi-threshold voltage solution for pFETs
A threshold voltage tuning approach for forming a stacked nanowire gate-all around pFET is provided. In the present application, selective condensation (i.e., oxidation) is used to provide a threshold voltage shift in silicon germanium alloy nanowires. The threshold voltage shift is well controlled because both underlying parameters which govern the final germanium content, i.e., nanowire width and amount of condensation, are well controlled by the selective condensation process. The present application can address the problem of width quantization in stacked nanowire FETs by offering various device options.
US09425292B1 Field effect transistor device spacers
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device comprises forming a fin on a substrate, forming a first dummy gate stack and a second dummy gate stack over the fin, forming spacers adjacent to the fin, the first dummy gate stack, and the second dummy gate stack, etching to remove portions of the fin and form a first cavity partially defined by the spacers, depositing an insulator material in the first cavity, patterning a mask over the first dummy gate stack and portions of the fin, etching to remove exposed portions of the insulator material, and epitaxially growing a first semiconductor material on exposed portions of the fin.
US09425283B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device forms a salicide layer to surround an upper surface and a circumference of a lateral surface of a pillar. A contact area between the pillar and a lower electrode may be increased to reduce a contact resistance.
US09425282B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit device having vertical channel and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a vertical channel and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A plurality of active lines are formed in a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode having a lower height than each active line is formed on a sidewall of the active line. A first insulating layer having a height lower than that of the active line and higher than that of the gate electrode is buried between active lines, and a silicide layer is formed on an exposed upper surface and a lateral surface of the active line.
US09425278B2 Segregated FinFET structure and manufacturing method
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor fin on a substrate. The semiconductor fin includes a stack of alternating layers of first and second materials that induce stress or strain to the channel of the semiconductor device for implementing a strained FinFET. The first and second materials are different. The second material layers include lateral recesses filled with an insulating layer to form an isolated FinFET structure to further induce stress in the channel region to improve the performance of the semiconductor device.
US09425277B2 Method for depinning the Fermi level of a semiconductor at an electrical junction and devices incorporating such junctions
An electrical device in which an interface layer comprising arsenic is disposed between and in contact with a conductor and a semiconductor. In some cases, the interface layer may be a monolayer of arsenic.
US09425274B2 Method for forming semiconductor device including spacers having different dimensions
The semiconductor device structures and methods for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a metal gate over a substrate. A first spacer is formed over sidewalls of the metal gate and having a first height. A second spacer is formed over the sidewalls of the metal gate and having a second height. The first height is higher than the second height. The first spacer is farther from the sidewalls of the metal gate than the second spacer. In addition, the semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric layer formed over the substrate to surround the first spacer and the metal gate.
US09425267B2 Transistor with charge enhanced field plate structure and method
Transistors and methods of fabricating are described herein. These transistors include a field plate (108) and a charged dielectric layer (106) overlapping at least a portion of a gate electrode (102). The field plate (108) and charged dielectric layer (106) provide the ability to modulate the electric field or capacitance in the transistor. For example, the charged dielectric layer (106) provides the ability to control the capacitance between the gate electrode (102) and field plate (108). Modulating such capacitances or the electric field in transistors can facilitate improved performance. For example, controlling gate electrode (102) to field plate (108) capacitance can be used to improve device linearity and/or breakdown voltage. Such control over gate electrode (102) to field plate (108) capacitance or electric fields provides for high speed and/or high voltage transistor operation.
US09425263B2 Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes the following steps. A silicon carbide substrate is prepared. A first heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of oxygen is performed. A second heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate to a temperature of 1300° C. or more and 1500° C. or less in an atmosphere of gas containing nitrogen atoms or phosphorus atoms is performed after the first heating step. A third heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of a first inert gas is performed after the second heating step. Thus, the silicon carbide semiconductor device in which threshold voltage variation is small, and a method for manufacturing the same can be provided.
US09425262B2 Configuration of portions of a power device within a silicon carbide crystal
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a silicon carbide (SiC) crystal having a top surface aligned along a plane and the SiC crystal having an off-orientation direction. The apparatus including a semiconductor device defined within the SiC crystal. The semiconductor device having an outer perimeter where the outer perimeter has a first side aligned along the off-orientation direction and a second side aligned along a direction non-parallel to the off-orientation direction. The first side of the outer perimeter of the semiconductor device having a length longer than the second side of the outer perimeter of the semiconductor device.
US09425259B1 Semiconductor device having a fin
Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a fin disposed on a substrate along a first direction. A sacrificial layer is disposed on the fin. An active layer is disposed on the sacrificial layer. A gate insulating layer and a gate electrode are disposed along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The gate insulating layer covers substantially entire top, side and bottom surfaces of the active layer. A source or drain region is disposed on at least one side of the gate electrode on the substrate. A first concentration of germanium in a first region and a second region of the active layer is higher than a second concentration of germanium in a third region disposed between the first region and the second region.
US09425256B2 Strain inducing semiconductor regions
A method to form a strain-inducing semiconductor region is described. In one embodiment, formation of a strain-inducing semiconductor region laterally adjacent to a crystalline substrate results in a uniaxial strain imparted to the crystalline substrate, providing a strained crystalline substrate. In another embodiment, a semiconductor region with a crystalline lattice of one or more species of charge-neutral lattice-forming atoms imparts a strain to a crystalline substrate, wherein the lattice constant of the semiconductor region is different from that of the crystalline substrate, and wherein all species of charge-neutral lattice-forming atoms of the semiconductor region are contained in the crystalline substrate.
US09425253B2 Passivated nanoparticles
Passivated semiconductor nanoparticles and methods for the fabrication and use of passivated semiconductor nanoparticles is provided herein.
US09425246B2 Organic light emitting display device and method of repairing the same
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate including a display area and a non-display area, a plurality of scan lines extended in a first direction on the substrate, a plurality of data lines extended in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a plurality of first switching elements in the display area, the plurality of first switching elements being connected to the scan lines and data lines, organic emission layers connected to the first switching elements, first dummy lines between corresponding adjacent ones of the plurality of scan lines, the first dummy lines extending in the first direction, second switching elements disposed in the non-display area, the second switching elements being adjacent to first ends of the first dummy lines, and second dummy lines extended in the second direction, the second dummy lines being adjacent to the second switching elements.
US09425242B2 Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer separated from each other on a same surface of the substrate, a first insulating layer on the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode respectively overlapping the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer on the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode; a first storage electrode overlapping the first gate electrode on the second insulating layer, a third insulating layer on the first storage electrode, and a second storage electrode overlapping the first storage electrode on the third insulating layer.
US09425241B2 Organic electroluminescence display unit, method of manufacturing organic electroluminescence display unit, and color filter substrate
A display device includes a first electrode, an organic layer including a light emitting region, and a second electrode. The display device also includes a conductive layer electrically connected to the second electrode and including an opening corresponding to the light emitting region.
US09425240B2 Image sensors with organic photodiodes and methods for forming the same
Embodiments of forming an image sensor with organic photodiodes are provided. Trenches are formed in the organic photodiodes to increase the PN-junction interfacial area, which improves the quantum efficiency (QE) of the photodiodes. The organic P-type material is applied in liquid form to fill the trenches. A mixture of P-type materials with different work function values and thickness can be used to meet the desired work function value for the photodiodes.
US09425238B2 Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a memory block including a transistor region and a memory region. A variable resistance layer of the memory region acts as a gate insulating layer in the transistor region.
US09425234B2 Quantum dot digital radiographic detection system
A digital quantum dot radiographic detection system described herein includes: a scintillation subsystem 202 and a semiconductor visible light detection subsystem 200, 200′ (including a plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200a, 200b). In a first preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200 is in substantially direct contact with the scintillation subsystem 202. In a second preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the scintillation subsystem has a plurality of discrete scintillation packets 212a, 212b, at least one of the discrete scintillation packets communicating with at least one of the quantum dot image sensors. The quantum dot image sensors 200 may be associated with semiconductor substrate 210 made from materials such as silicon (and variations thereof) or graphene.
US09425233B2 RGBZ pixel cell unit for an RGBZ image sensor
An image sensor is described. The image sensor includes a pixel array having a unit cell that includes visible light photodiodes and an infra-red photodiode. The visible light photodiodes and the infra-red photodiode are coupled to a particular column of the pixel array. The unit cell has a first capacitor coupled to the visible light photodiodes to store charge from each of the visible light photodiodes. The unit cell having a readout circuit to provide the first capacitor's voltage on the particular column. The unit cell having a second capacitor that is coupled to the infra-red photodiode through a transfer gate transistor to receive charge from the infra-red photodiode during a time-of-flight exposure. The unit cell has a back-drain transistor coupled to the infra-red photodiode.
US09425230B2 Solid-state imaging device and manufacturing method of the same, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a solid-state imaging device including: an imaging pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit which receives incident light; and a phase difference detection pixel including the photoelectric conversion unit and a light shielding unit which shields some of the light incident to the photoelectric conversion unit, in which the imaging pixel further includes a high refractive index film which is formed on the upper side of the photoelectric conversion unit, and the phase difference detection pixel further includes a low refractive index film which is formed on the upper side of the photoelectric conversion unit.
US09425226B2 Imaging device
An imaging device which is capable of taking images with high quality and can be manufactured at low cost is provided. A first circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor and a second circuit includes a third transistor and a photodiode. The first transistor and the third transistor are each an n-channel transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer as an active layer, and the second transistor is a p-channel transistor including an active region in a silicon substrate. The photodiode is provided in the silicon substrate. A region in which the first transistor and the second transistor overlap each other with an insulating layer positioned therebetween is provided. A region in which the third transistor and the photodiode overlap each other with the insulating layer positioned therebetween is provided.
US09425220B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having a high aperture ratio, including a capacitor with increased capacitance, and consuming low power is provided. The semiconductor device includes pixels defined by x (x is an integer of 2 or more) scan lines and y (y is an integer of 1 or more) signal lines, and each of the pixels includes a transistor, and a capacitor. The transistor includes a semiconductor film having a light-transmitting property. The capacitor includes a dielectric film between a pair of electrodes. In the capacitor between an (m−1)-th (m is an integer of 2 or more and x or less) scan line and an m-th scan line, a semiconductor film on the same surface as the semiconductor film having a light-transmitting property of the transistor serves as one of the pair of electrodes and is electrically connected to the (m−1)-th scan line.
US09425219B2 Array substrate with data line sharing, manufacturing method thereof and display panel
An array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel are provided. The array substrate includes: a substrate; and first pixel groups and second pixel groups which are disposed on the substrate and are alternately arranged to form a pixel array. Each first pixel group includes two first pixel units, each first pixel unit includes a first pixel electrode connected with a common electrode and a second pixel electrode connected with a drain electrode of a drive TFT of the first pixel unit. Each second pixel group includes two second pixel units, each second pixel unit includes a third pixel electrode connected with a drain electrode of a drive TFT of the second pixel unit and a fourth pixel electrode connected with the common electrode.
US09425217B2 Semiconductor device
Defects in an oxide semiconductor film are reduced in a semiconductor device including the oxide semiconductor film. The electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film are improved. The reliability of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film is improved. A semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor layer; a metal oxide layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, the metal oxide layer including an In-M oxide (M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, or Hf); and a conductive layer in contact with the metal oxide layer, the conductive layer including copper, aluminum, gold, or silver is provided. In the semiconductor device, y/(x+y) is greater than or equal to 0.75 and less than 1 where the atomic ratio of In to M included in the metal oxide layer is In:M=x:y.
US09425210B2 Double-source semiconductor device
A semiconductor device may include a first source layer, a first insulating layer located over the first source layer, and a first stacked structure located over the first insulating layer. The semiconductor device may include first channel layers passing through the first stacked structure and the first insulating layer. The semiconductor device may include a second source layer including a first region interposed between the first source layer and the first insulating layer and second regions interposed between the first channel layers and the first insulating layer, wherein the second regions of the second source layer directly contact each other.
US09425208B2 Vertical memory devices
A vertical memory device includes a substrate including a cell region and a peripheral circuit region, the peripheral circuit region including a gate structure comprising a transistor, a plurality of channels on the cell region, each of the channels extending in a first direction that is vertical with respect to a top surface of the substrate, a plurality of gate lines stacked in the first direction and spaced apart from each other, the gate lines surrounding outer sidewalls of the channels, and a blocking structure between the cell region and the peripheral circuit region, wherein a height of the blocking structure is greater than a height of the gate structure in the peripheral region.
US09425207B2 Memory device with different memory film diameters in the same laminate level
According to one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes first electrodes, at least one first semiconductor layer, a first memory film, second electrodes, at least one second semiconductor layer, and a second memory film. The first electrodes are stacked in a first direction. The one first semiconductor layer extends in the first direction through the first electrodes. The first memory film is provided between each of the first electrodes and the one first semiconductor layer. The second electrodes are stacked in the first direction and provided together with the first electrodes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The one second semiconductor layer extends in the first direction through the second electrodes. The second memory film is provided between each of the second electrodes and the one second semiconductor layer. An outer diameter of the first memory film is larger than that of the second memory film.
US09425203B2 Non-volatile memory cell in semiconductor device
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate, stripe-shaped trenches for separating the semiconductor substrate into a plurality of active regions, a buried film having a projecting portion that projects from the semiconductor substrate, buried into the trenches, a source region and drain region of a second conductivity type, which are a pair of regions formed in the active region, for providing a channel region of a first conductivity type for a region therebetween, and a floating gate consisting of a single layer striding across the source region and the drain region, projecting beyond the projecting portion in a manner not overlapping the projecting portion, in which an aspect ratio of the buried film is 2.3 to 3.67.
US09425202B2 Split page 3D memory array
A semiconductor device includes active strips. Active strip stack selection structures electrically couple to the active strip stacks at positions between the first and second ends, and select particular ones of the active strip stacks for operations. In one embodiment, different pads coupled to opposite pads have a higher voltage, depending on the memory cell selected for read. The same active strip stack selection structure can act as a pair of side gates for opposite sides of a first active strip stack, and as one side gate for each of the adjacent active strip stacks. Each active strip stack can have: a first structure from a first set acting as first and second side gates on a first side of word lines; and a second structure and a third structure from a second set respectively acting as third and fourth side gates on the second side of word lines.
US09425200B2 Semiconductor device including air gaps and method for fabricating the same
Disclosed are a semiconductor device capable of reducing parasitic capacitance between adjacent conductive structures and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of bit line structures each comprising a first contact plug formed over a substrate and a bit line formed over the first contact plug. A spacer structure having air gaps is formed on sidewalls of the first contact plug and on sidewalls of the bit line. An plug isolation layer is formed between the plurality of bit line structures. The isolation layer includes an opening. A second contact plug is formed in the opening and a memory element is formed over the second contact plug.
US09425199B2 Field effect transistor and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A structure with which the zero current of a field effect transistor using a conductor-semiconductor junction can be reduced is provided. A floating electrode (102) including a conductor or a semiconductor and being enclosed by an insulator (104) is formed between a semiconductor layer (101) and a gate (105) so as to cross the semiconductor layer (101) and the floating electrode (102) is charged, whereby carriers are prevented from flowing from a source electrode (103a) or a drain electrode (103b). Accordingly, a sufficiently low carrier concentration can be kept in the semiconductor layer (101) and thus the zero current can be reduced.
US09425198B2 Semiconductor device having strain-relaxed buffer layer and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a strain-relaxed buffer layer on the substrate, at least one well in the strain-relaxed buffer layer, a first channel layer on the strain-relaxed buffer layer, and a second channel layer on the well. A lattice constant of material constituting the first well is less than a lattice constant of the material constituting the strain-relaxed buffer layer, but a lattice constant of material constituting the second well is greater than the lattice constant of the material constituting the strain-relaxed buffer layer.
US09425192B2 Integrated circuit decoupling capacitors
Power supply decoupling capacitors are provided for integrated circuits. The decoupling capacitors may be distributed in clusters amongst powered circuit components. Each cluster may contain a number of individual capacitor cells that are connected in parallel. Each capacitor cell may contain a capacitor and a resistor connected in series with the capacitor. The capacitors may be metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors. The resistor in each cell may limit the current through an individual capacitor in the event of a short in the capacitor due to a dielectric defect.
US09425190B2 Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for biasing a direct injection semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise applying a first voltage potential to a first N-doped region via a bit line and applying a second voltage potential to a second N-doped region via a source line. The method may also comprise applying a third voltage potential to a word line, wherein the word line is spaced apart from and capacitively coupled to a body region that is electrically floating and disposed between the first N-doped region and the second N-doped region. The method may further comprise applying a fourth voltage potential to a P-type substrate via a carrier injection line.
US09425189B1 Compact FDSOI device with Bulex contact extending through buried insulating layer adjacent gate structure for back-bias
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device including an SOI substrate comprising an active semiconductor layer disposed on a buried insulating material layer, which is in turn formed on a base semiconductor material. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure formed on the active semiconductor layer, source/drain regions provided at opposing sides of the gate structure, and a contact structure having contact elements for contacting the source/drain regions. Herein, the contact elements are disposed at opposing sides of the gate structure and are in alignment therewith. Furthermore, one of the contact elements extends through the buried insulating material layer and is in electrical contact with the base semiconductor material.
US09425185B2 Self-healing electrostatic discharge power clamp
Circuits and methods of fabricating circuits that provide electrostatic discharge protection, as well as methods of protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge. The protection circuit may include a power clamp device, a timing circuit including a resistor and a capacitor that is coupled with the resistor at a node, and a power clamp device coupled with the timing circuit at the node. The capacitor includes a plurality of capacitor elements. The protection circuit further includes a plurality of electronic fuses. Each electronic fuse is coupled with a respective one of the capacitor elements. A field effect transistor may be coupled in parallel with the resistor of the timing circuit, and may be used to bypass the resistor to provide a programming current to any electronic fuse coupled with a capacitor element of abnormally low impedance.
US09425182B2 Low noise and high performance LSI device
In semiconductor devices in which both NMOS devices and PMOS devices are used to perform in different modes such as analog and digital modes, stress engineering is selectively applied to particular devices depending on their required operational modes. That is, the appropriate mechanical stress, i.e., tensile or compressive, can be applied to and/or removed from devices, i.e., NMOS and/or PMOS devices, based not only on their conductivity type, i.e., n-type or p-type, but also on their intended operational application, for example, analog/digital, low-voltage/high-voltage, high-speed/low-speed, noise-sensitive/noise-insensitive, etc. The result is that performance of individual devices is optimized based on the mode in which they operate. For example, mechanical stress can be applied to devices that operate in high-speed digital settings, while devices that operate in analog or RF signal settings, in which electrical noise such as flicker noise that may be introduced by applied stress may degrade performance, have no stress applied.
US09425181B2 Method of hybrid packaging a lead frame based multi-chip semiconductor device with multiple interconnecting structures
A hybrid packaging multi-chip semiconductor device comprises a lead frame unit, a first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip, a first interconnecting structure and a second interconnecting structure, wherein the first semiconductor chip is attached on a first die paddle and the second semiconductor chip is flipped and attached on a third pin and a second die paddle, the first interconnecting structure electrically connecting a first electrode at a front surface of the first semiconductor chip and a third electrode at a back surface of the second semiconductor chip and a second electrode at the front surface of the first semiconductor chip is electrically connected by second interconnecting structure.
US09425180B2 Treating copper surfaces for packaging
A die has a top surface, and a metal pillar having a portion protruding over the top surface of the die. A sidewall of the metal pillar has nano-wires. The die is bonded to a package substrate. An underfill is filled into the gap between the die and the package substrate.
US09425179B2 Chip packages and methods of manufacture thereof
Chip packages and methods of manufacture thereof are described. In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a chip package may include: providing a support structure including: a base; and a stage pivotably attached to the base, the stage having a surface facing away from the base; attaching a first die having at least one second die disposed thereon to the surface of the stage; pivotably tilting the stage; and after the pivotably tilting, dispensing an underfill over the first die and adjacent to the least one second die, the underfill flowing through a first standoff gap disposed between the first die and the at least one second die.
US09425177B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device including grinding semiconductor wafer
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: preparing a semiconductor water which is partitioned into a plurality of first semiconductor chips, the plurality of first semiconductor chips including a first group of first semiconductor chips and a second group of first semiconductor chips; providing a second semiconductor chip over at least one of first semiconductor chips of the first group; providing a sealer on the first semiconductor chips of the second group; and grinding one face of the semiconductor wafer which is on the opposite side from a face on which the second semiconductor chip and the sealer are provided.
US09425170B2 Stacked chips electrically connected by a plurality of juncture portions
An inventive semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip; a second semiconductor chip having a front surface opposed to a front surface of the first semiconductor chip; a first electrode region including a first electrode provided between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip to electrically connect the first semiconductor chip to the second semiconductor chip; and a juncture portion provided between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip as surrounding the first electrode region to connect the first semiconductor chip to the second semiconductor chip.
US09425168B2 Stud bump and package structure thereof and method of manufacturing the same
A stud bump structure, a package structure thereof and method of manufacturing the package structure are provided. The stud bump structure include a first chip; and a silver alloy stud bump disposed on the substrate, wherein the on-chip silver alloy stud bump includes Pd of 0.01˜10 wt %, while the balance is Ag. The package structure further includes a substrate having an on-substrate bond pad electrically connected to the on-chip silver alloy stud bump by flip chip bonding.
US09425161B2 Semiconductor device with mechanical lock features between a semiconductor die and a substrate
An embodiment of a method of attaching a semiconductor die to a substrate includes placing a bottom surface of the die over a top surface of the substrate with an intervening die attach material. The method further includes contacting a top surface of the semiconductor die and the top surface of the substrate with a conformal structure that includes a non-solid, pressure transmissive material, and applying a pressure to the conformal structure. The pressure is transmitted by the non-solid, pressure transmissive material to the top surface of the semiconductor die. The method further includes, while applying the pressure, exposing the assembly to a temperature that is sufficient to cause the die attach material to sinter. Before placing the die over the substrate, conductive mechanical lock features may be formed on the top surface of the substrate, and/or on the bottom surface of the semiconductor die.
US09425156B2 Semiconductor packages having semiconductor chips disposed in opening in shielding core plate
A semiconductor package includes a first plate having a through hole therein, at least one interconnection layer disposed on a first surface of the first plate, and at least one semiconductor chip disposed on the at least one interconnection layer in a space defined by the through hole and electrically connected to the least one interconnection layer. The package further includes a second plate disposed on the at least one semiconductor chip and a second surface of the first plate on a side of the first plate opposite the first surface, and at least one conductive pad disposed on the second surface of the first plate and electrically connected to the at least one interconnection layer.
US09425153B2 Semiconductor devices comprising getter layers and methods of making and using the same
Semiconductor devices comprising a getter material are described. The getter material can be located in or over the active region of the device and/or in or over a termination region of the device. The getter material can be a conductive or an insulating material. The getter material can be present as a continuous or discontinuous film. The device can be a SiC semiconductor device such as a SiC vertical MOSFET. Methods of making the devices are also described. Semiconductor devices and methods of making the same comprising source ohmic contacts formed using a self-aligned process are also described. The source ohmic contacts can comprise titanium silicide and/or titanium silicide carbide and can act as a getter material.
US09425148B2 Semiconductor devices having contacts with intervening spacers and method for fabricating the same
Semiconductor devices, and a method for fabricating the same, include an interlayer dielectric film pattern over a substrate, a first wiring within the interlayer dielectric film pattern and having a first length in a first direction, a second wiring within the interlayer dielectric film pattern and separated from the first wiring, and a spacer contacting the first wiring and the second wiring. The spacer electrically separates the first wiring and the second wiring from each other. The second wiring has a second length different from the first length in the first direction.
US09425147B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes an interlayer insulating film; a wiring formed on the interlayer insulating film so as to protrude there from and made of a material having copper as a main component, the wiring having a thickness direction and having a cross sectional shape of an inverted trapezoid that becomes wider in width with distance away from the interlayer insulating film; and a passivation film formed so as to cover the wiring. The passivation film is made of a laminated film in which a first nitride film, an intermediate film, and a second nitride film are laminated in that order from the wiring side. The intermediate film is made of an insulating material differing from those of the first and second nitride films, and has a tapered portion having a cross sectional shape of a trapezoid that becomes narrower in width with distance away from the interlayer insulating film.
US09425144B2 Metal fuse structure for improved programming capability
Structure providing more reliable fuse blow location, and method of making the same. A vertical metal fuse blow structure has, prior to fuse blow, an intentionally damaged portion of the fuse conductor. The damaged portion helps the fuse blow in a known location, thereby decreasing the resistance variability in post-blow circuits. At the same time, prior to fuse blow, the fuse structure is able to operate normally. The damaged portion of the fuse conductor is made by forming an opening in a cap layer above a portion of the fuse conductor, and etching the fuse conductor. Preferably, the opening is aligned such that the damaged portion is on the top corner of the fuse conductor. A cavity can be formed in the insulator adjacent to the damaged fuse conductor. The damaged fuse structure having a cavity can be easily incorporated in a process of making integrated circuits having air gaps.
US09425142B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including: a substrate having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer arranged deeper than the first conductive layer; a large-diameter concave portion having, on a main side of a substrate, an opening sized to overlap the first and second conductive layers, with the first conductive layer exposed in part of the bottom of the large-diameter concave portion; a small-diameter concave portion extended from the large-diameter concave portion and formed by digging into the bottom of the large-diameter concave portion, with the second conductive layer exposed at the bottom of the small-diameter concave portion; and a conductive member provided in a connection hole made up of the large- and small-diameter concave portions to connect the first and second conductive layers.
US09425139B2 Dual row quad flat no-lead semiconductor package
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a Quad Flat No-Lead package comprising: an outer row of outer peripheral leads disposed on an outer periphery of a bottom surface of the Quad Flat No-Lead package; and an inner row of inner peripheral leads disposed on an inner periphery of the bottom surface of the Quad Flat No-Lead package, wherein each of the inner peripheral leads has a substantially rectangular shape, and wherein the substantially rectangular shape has two rounded corners adjacent to the outer row of outer peripheral leads.
US09425137B2 Wiring board
A wiring board includes multiple insulating layers including first, second, third, fourth and fifth insulation layers laminated in the order of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth insulation layers. The first insulation layer has a first conductor including plating, the second insulation layer has a second conductor including plating, the third insulation layer has a third conductor including conductive paste, the fourth insulation layer has a fourth conductor including plating, the fifth insulation layer has a fifth conductor including plating, and the first conductor, the second conductor, the third conductor, the fourth conductor and the fifth conductor are formed along the same axis and are electrically continuous with each other.
US09425135B2 Electrode body, wiring substrate, and semiconductor device
An electrode body is provided as an electrode body capable of appropriately reducing a load when silicon wafer direct bonding is performed. The electrode body 1 includes a base member 10 that has a predetermined thickness; and an electrode portion 20 that is formed on one surface of the base member in a thickness direction thereof. The electrode portion 20 includes a basic bump 21 formed in a substantially columnar shape to protrude on the base member 10 and a fragile bump 22 formed independently from the basic bump to form a metallic bond with the basic bump 21.
US09425132B2 Stacked synchronous buck converter having chip embedded in outside recess of leadframe
A system has a leadframe with leads and a pad. The pad surface having a portion recessed with a depth and an outline suitable for attaching a semiconductor chip. A first chip is vertically stacked to the opposite pad surface. A clip is vertically stacked on the first chip and tied to a lead. A second chip has a terminal attached to the recessed portion and terminals co-planar with the un-recessed portion. A second chip is attached to the clip.
US09425127B2 Method for forming an air gap around a through-silicon via
Semiconductor devices with air gaps around the through-silicon via are formed. Embodiments include forming a first cavity in a substrate, filling the first cavity with a sacrificial material, forming a second cavity in the substrate, through the sacrificial material, by removing a portion of the sacrificial material and a portion of the substrate below the sacrificial material, filling the second cavity with a conductive material, removing a remaining portion of the sacrificial material to form an air gap between the conductive material and the substrate, and forming a cap over the air gap.
US09425123B2 Electronic device having heat conducting member
An electronic device includes a semiconductor module, a wiring substrate, a case member and a heat conducting member. The heat conducting member thermally connects predetermined portions of wiring patterns and a heat conducting pattern of the wiring substrate to a predetermined heat conduction region of a surface of the case member opposing to the wiring substrate. The predetermined heat conduction region is located further from the wiring substrate than a surface of a body portion opposing to the case member. The heat conducting pattern is disposed adjacent to at least one of non-terminal projecting surfaces of the body portion on a surface of the wiring substrate. The heat conducting pattern has a surface that is not covered with solder resist at least at a part. As a result, an area of a heat conducting passage increases and heat radiation performance can be increased.
US09425121B2 Integrated fan-out structure with guiding trenches in buffer layer
A bottom package includes a molding compound, a buffer layer over and contacting the molding compound, and a through-via penetrating through the molding compound. A device die is molded in the molding compound. A guiding trench extends from a top surface of the buffer layer into the buffer layer, wherein the guiding trench is misaligned with the device die.
US09425117B2 Substrate design with balanced metal and solder resist density
A package includes a package substrate, which includes a middle layer selected from the group consisting of a core and a middle metal layer, a top metal layer overlying the middle layer, and a bottom metal layer underlying the middle layer. All metal layers overlying the middle layer have a first total metal density that is equal to a sum of all densities of all metal layers over the middle layer. All metal layers underlying the middle layer have a second total metal density that is equal to a sum of all densities of all metal layers under the middle layer. An absolute value of a difference between the first total metal density and the second total metal density is lower than about 0.1.
US09425116B2 Integrated circuit package and a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit package
An integrated circuit package includes a package module including one or more circuit interconnections formed in a carrier, wherein at least one top-side package contact is formed over the top-side of the package module and electrically connected to at least one circuit interconnection of the one or more circuit interconnections and wherein a cavity is formed at the top-side of the package module; a chip disposed in the cavity, the chip including at least one chip front side contact and at least one chip back side contact, wherein the at least one chip front side contact is electrically connected to at least one further circuit interconnection of the one or more circuit interconnections; an electrically conductive structure connecting the at least one top-side package contact to the chip back side contact; and a metallic layer formed over the electrically conductive structure and on the chip back side contact.
US09425113B2 Package for high frequency circuits
The present invention relates to integrated circuit packaging and methods of manufacturing these. In particular, but not exclusively the present invention relates to improvements in the suppression of spurious wave modes within cavity packages in which are mounted circuits operating at high frequencies, for example Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC's).
US09425112B2 Calibration kits for RF passive devices
A method includes measuring a first calibration kit in a wafer to obtain a first performance data. The wafer includes a substrate, and a plurality of dielectric layers over the substrate. The first calibration kit includes a first passive device over the plurality of dielectric layers, wherein substantially no metal feature is disposed in the plurality of dielectric layers and overlapped by the first passive device. The method further includes measuring a second calibration kit in the wafer to obtain a second performance data. The second calibration kit includes a second passive device identical to the first device and over the plurality of dielectric layers, and dummy patterns in the plurality of dielectric layers and overlapped by the second passive device. The first performance data and the second performance data are de-embedded to determine an effect of metal patterns in the plurality of dielectric layers to overlying passive devices.
US09425106B1 Methods of performing fin cut etch processes for taper FinFET semiconductor devices and the resulting devices
A method includes forming a plurality of fins above a substrate. At least one dielectric material is formed above and between the plurality of fins. A mask layer is formed above the dielectric material. The mask layer has an opening defined therein. A portion of the at least one dielectric material exposed by the opening is removed to expose top and sidewall surface portions of at least a subset of the fins. An etching process is performed to remove the portions of the fins in the subset exposed by removing the portion of the at least one dielectric material.
US09425102B2 FinFETs with different fin heights
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate including a first portion in a first device region, and a second portion in a second device region. A first semiconductor fin is over the semiconductor substrate and has a first fin height. A second semiconductor fin is over the semiconductor substrate and has a second fin height. The first fin height is greater than the second fin height.
US09425100B1 Methods of facilitating fabricating transistors
Methods and transistors for circuit structures are provided. The methods include, for instance: defining a channel region in a substrate, the channel region having at least one channel region sidewall adjoining an isolation material; recessing the isolation material to expose an upper portion of the at least one channel region sidewall; and providing a gate structure over a gate interface area with the channel region. The gate interface area includes at least the upper portion of the at least one channel region sidewall and an upper surface of the channel region so that a threshold voltage of the gate structure may be reduced. The methods may also include etching an elongate notch in the upper portion of the at least one channel region sidewall to increase a size of the gate interface area and further reduce the threshold voltage of the gate structure.
US09425098B2 Radio-frequency device package and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a electronic device package provides a electronic device chip, wherein the electronic device chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a first thickness, an electronic component disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnect structure disposed on the electronic component. The method further performs a thinning process to remove a portion of the semiconductor substrate from the back side thereof. The method then removes a portion of the thinned semiconductor substrate and a portion of a dielectric layer of the interconnect structure from a back side of the thinned semiconductor substrate until a first metal layer pattern of the interconnect structure is exposed, thereby forming a through hole. Finally, the method forms a TSV structure in the through hole, and mounts the electronic device chip on a base.
US09425097B1 Cut first alternative for 2D self-aligned via
A method of lithographically cutting a Mx line before the Mx line is lithographically defined by patterning and the resulting 2DSAV device are provided. Embodiments include forming an a-Si dummy metal layer over a SiO2 layer; forming a first softmask stack over the a-Si dummy metal layer; patterning a plurality of vias through the first softmask stack down to the SiO2 layer; removing the first soft mask stack; forming first and second etch stop layers over the a-Si dummy metal layer, the first etch stop layer formed in the plurality of vias; forming a-Si mandrels on the second etch stop layer; forming oxide spacers on opposite sides of each a-Si mandrel; removing the a-Si mandrels; forming a-Si dummy metal lines in the a-Si dummy metal layer below the oxide spacers; and forming a SiOC layer between the a-Si dummy metal lines.
US09425093B2 Copper wiring forming method, film forming system, and storage medium
A Cu wiring forming method of forming Cu wiring that is to be arranged in contact with tungsten wiring, by filling Cu into a recess formed in a substrate, includes: removing a tungsten oxide formed on a surface of the tungsten wiring; forming a nitriding preventing film at least on the surface of the tungsten wiring in the recess; forming a barrier film that prevents diffusion of Cu, on a surface in the recess from above the nitriding preventing film; forming a liner film on the barrier film; and filling a Cu film on the liner film.
US09425090B2 Method of electrodepositing gold on a copper seed layer to form a gold metallization structure
An electrically conductive barrier layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate such that the barrier layer covers a first device terminal. A seed layer is formed on the barrier layer. The seed includes a noble metal other than gold. The substrate is masked so that a first mask opening is laterally aligned with the first terminal. An unmasked portion of the seed layer is electroplated using a gold electrolyte solution so as to form a first gold metallization structure in the first mask opening. The mask, the masked portions of the seed layer, and the barrier layer are removed. The noble metal from the unmasked portion of the seed layer is diffused into the first gold metallization structure. The first gold metallization structure is electrically connected to the first terminal via the barrier layer.
US09425084B2 Mechanisms for forming protection layer on back side of wafer
Embodiments of mechanisms of forming a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a front side and a back side. The semiconductor device structure also includes devices formed on the front side of the substrate and interconnect structures formed on the devices. The semiconductor device structure further includes a protection layer formed on the back side of the substrate, and the protection layer has a thickness over about 10 A.
US09425081B2 Method of implantation for fragilization of substrates
The disclosure relates to a method for implantation of atomic or ionic species into a batch of substrates made of semiconductor material, in which: each substrate made of semiconductor material is positioned on a respective support of a batch implanter, each substrate comprising a thin layer of electrical insulator on its surface; and a dose of at least one ionic or atomic species is implanted over the whole surface of the substrates, through their layer of insulator, so as to form a fragilization region within each substrate and to bound there a thin layer of semiconductor material between the thin layer of insulator and the fragilization region of the substrate, the implantation method being characterized in that, during the method, each support on which a substrate is positioned has at least two separate inclinations with respect to the plane orthogonal to the direction of implantation of the species in order to improve the implantation depth of the species in the substrate. The disclosure also relates to structures of the semiconductor-on-insulator type obtained by the implementation of the implantation method.
US09425079B2 Semiconductor structure with integrated passive structures
A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with integrated passive structures and methods of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The method includes forming a stacked structure in an active region and at least one shallow trench isolation (STI) structure adjacent to the stacked structure. The method further includes forming a semiconductor layer directly in contact with the at least one STI structure and the stacked structure. The method further includes patterning the semiconductor layer and the stacked structure to form an active device in the active region and a passive structure of the semiconductor layer directly on the at least one STI structure.
US09425074B2 Heat treatment apparatus
A heat treatment apparatus performs a heat treatment on a plurality of target objects held by a holding unit while allowing an inert gas to flow upwardly in a vertical processing container with at least one heating unit provided in the vicinity of the processing container. The heat treatment apparatus includes: a main temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit; an inert gas passage through which the inert gas flows into the processing container; an inert gas heating unit installed in the inert gas passage and configured to heat the inert gas; a first temperature measuring unit installed in the inert gas heating unit; and a temperature controller configured to control the inert gas heating unit based on temperatures measured by the first temperature measuring unit.
US09425073B2 Depression filling method and processing apparatus
A depression filling method for filling a depression of a workpiece including a semiconductor substrate and an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate is provided. The depression penetrating the insulating film is configured so as to extend to the semiconductor substrate. The method includes: forming a thin film of a semiconductor material along a wall surface that defines the depression; annealing the workpiece to cause the semiconductor material of the thin film to move toward a bottom of the depression and to form an epitaxial region corresponding to crystals of the semiconductor substrate; and etching the thin film.
US09425071B2 Film forming method
A film forming method for obtaining a thin film by laminating molecular layers of oxide on a surface of a substrate in a vacuum atmosphere includes performing a cycle a plurality of times. The cycle includes: supplying a source gas containing a source to the substrate in a vacuum vessel to adsorb the source onto the substrate; forming an ozone atmosphere containing ozone having a concentration not less than that where a chain decomposition reaction is caused in the vacuum vessel; and forcibly decomposing the ozone by supplying energy to the ozone atmosphere to generate active species of oxygen, and oxidizing the source adsorbed onto the surface of the substrate by the active species to obtain the oxide.
US09425069B2 Electronic modules
Electronic modules are formed by encapsulating microelectronic dies within cavities in a substrate.
US09425067B2 Method for forming package systems having interposers
A package system includes a first integrated circuit disposed over an interposer. The interposer includes at least one molding compound layer including a plurality of electrical connection structures through the at least one molding compound layer. A first interconnect structure is disposed over a first surface of the at least one molding compound layer and electrically coupled with the plurality of electrical connection structures. The first integrated circuit is electrically coupled with the first interconnect structure.
US09425065B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacture thereof
A semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate, a wiring pattern formed on the insulating substrate, a semiconductor chip secured to the wiring pattern, a junction terminal formed of the same material as the wiring pattern and electrically connected to the semiconductor chip, one end of the junction terminal being secured to the insulating substrate, the other end of the junction terminal extending upward away from the insulating substrate, and a control circuit for transmitting a control signal for the semiconductor chip, the control circuit being electrically connected to the junction terminal.
US09425064B2 Low-cost low-profile solder bump process for enabling ultra-thin wafer-level packaging (WLP) packages
Techniques are described herein for a dip soldering process which provides a low-profile, low-cost solder bump formation process which may be implemented to promote package thickness scaling (e.g., reduce the overall package thickness). For example, the dip soldering process disclosed herein may enable ultra-thin wafer-level packages (WLP), ultra-thin wafer level quad-flat no-leads (WQFN) packages, or the like.
US09425063B2 Method of reducing an impurity concentration in a semiconductor body, method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A method of reducing an impurity concentration in a semiconductor body includes irradiating the semiconductor body with particles through a first side of the semiconductor body. The method further includes removing at least a part of impurities from an irradiated part of the semiconductor body by out-diffusion during thermal treatment in a temperature range between 450° C. to 1200° C.
US09425060B2 Method for fabricating multiple layers of ultra narrow silicon wires
A method for fabricating multiple layers of ultra narrow silicon wires comprises the steps of fabricating wet-etch masking layers of silicon; forming a Fin and source/drain regions located at both ends thereof by epitaxy; forming the multiple layers of ultra narrow silicon wires. The present invention has advantages in that: the atom layer depositing may define the position of the ultra narrow silicon wires accurately, having a good controllability; the anisotropic wet-etch for silicon is performed in a self-stop manner and has a large process window, so that the cross-section shape of the nanowires formed by wet-etch is uniform and smooth. The method to form multiple layers of wet-etch masks at the sidewalls of Fins, in which wet-etch masking layers are formed prior to the epitaxy of Fins is a simple process, so that the multiple sidewall wet-etch masking layers may be obtained by only one etching to the epitaxy window, regardless of the numbers of the wet-etch masking layers; a wire with a diameter less than 10 nm may be fabricated by virtue of the oxidation technology, and thus satisfies the small size devices; the TMAH solution, which is simple and safe to control, is used in the wet-etch for polysilicon, and metal ions are not introduced and thus suitable for the integrated circuit manufacturing process; the method according to the present invention is fully compatible with the planar transistor based on the bulk silicon, and thus the process cost is small.
US09425057B2 Method and apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional-structure memory device
A method for manufacturing a memory device having a vertical structure according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a step for alternatingly laminating one or more insulation layers and one or more sacrificial layers on a substrate; a step for forming a penetration hole for penetrating the insulation layer and the sacrificial layer; a step for forming a pattern for filling up the penetration hole; a step for forming an opening for penetrating the insulation layer and the sacrificial layer; and a step for removing the sacrificial layer by supplying an etchant through the opening, wherein the step for laminating the insulation layer includes a step for depositing a first silicon oxide film by supplying to the substrate at least one gas selected from the group consisting of SiH4, Si2H6, Si3H8, Si4H10, and the step for laminating the sacrificial layer includes a step for depositing a second silicon oxide film by supplying dichlorosilane (SiCl2H2) to the substrate.
US09425055B2 Split gate memory cell with a layer of nanocrystals with improved erase performance
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage stack over a portion of the substrate. The charge storage stack includes a first dielectric layer, a layer of nanocrystals in contact with the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over and in contact with the layer of nanocrystals, a nitride layer over and in contact with the second dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer over the nitride layer.
US09425052B2 Reduced threshold voltage-width dependency in transistors comprising high-K metal gate electrode structures
Performance and/or uniformity of sophisticated transistors may be enhanced by incorporating a carbon species in the active regions of the transistors prior to forming complex high-k metal gate electrode structures. For example, a carbon species may be incorporated by ion implantation into the active region of a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor after selectively forming a threshold adjusted semiconductor material for the P-channel transistor, while the active region of the N-channel transistor is still masked.
US09425049B2 Cut first self-aligned litho-etch patterning
The present disclosure relates to a method for performing a self-aligned litho-etch (SALE) process. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a first cut layer over a substrate having a multi-layer hard mask with a first layer and an underlying second layer. A first plurality of openings, cut according to the first cut layer, are formed to expose the second layer at a first plurality of positions corresponding to a first plurality of shapes of a SALE design layer. A spacer material is deposited onto sidewalls of the multi-layer hard mask to form a second cut layer. A second plurality of openings, cut according to the second cut layer, are formed to expose the second layer at a second plurality of positions corresponding to a second plurality of shapes of the SALE design layer. The second layer is etched according to the first and second plurality of openings.
US09425046B1 Method for surface roughness reduction after silicon germanium thin film deposition
Techniques for processing silicon germanium (SiGe) thin films to reduce surface roughness thereof are provided herein. In an aspect, a method is disclosed that includes depositing a silicon germanium (SiGe) material upon a surface of a substrate at or below about 450 degrees Celsius, the substrate having a plurality of CMOS devices therein and forming, from the deposited SiGe material, a SiGe material film, wherein the SiGe material film has a jagged surface comprising projections and indentations extended along a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. The method further includes performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to the jagged surface of the SiGe material, and reducing variations between the projections and the indentions along the direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and transforming the jagged surface of the SiGe material into a relatively smooth surface, compared to the jagged surface.
US09425044B2 Composite spacer for silicon nanocrystal memory storage
Some embodiments relate to a memory device comprising a charge-trapping layer disposed between a control gate and a select gate. A capping structure is disposed over an upper surface of the control gate, and a composite spacer is disposed on a source-facing sidewall surface of the control gate. The capping structure and the composite spacer prevent damage to the control gate during one more etch processes used for contact formation to the memory device. To further limit or prevent the select gate sidewall etching, some embodiments provide for an additional liner oxide layer disposed along the drain-facing sidewall surface of the select gate. The liner oxide layer is configured as an etch stop layer to prevent etching of the select gate during the one or more etch processes. As a result, the one or more etch processes leave the control gate and select gate substantially intact.
US09425030B2 Electrostatic suppression of ion feedback in a microchannel plate photomultiplier
A photomultiplier tube having an ion suppression electrode positioned between a photocathode and an electron multiplying device in the photomultiplier tube is disclosed. The ion suppression electrode includes a grid that is configured to provide sufficient rigidity to avoid deformation during operation of the photomultiplier tube. The photomultiplier tube also includes a source of electric potential connected to the electron multiplying device and to the ion suppression electrode to provide a first voltage to the second electrode and a second voltage to the suppression grid electrode wherein the second voltage has a magnitude equal to or greater than the magnitude of the first voltage. A method of making the photomultiplier and a method of using it are also disclosed.
US09425029B2 Processing apparatus having a first shield and a second shield arranged to sandwich a substrate
A processing apparatus includes a supply source including a first supply source and a second supply source arranged to respectively face a first surface of a substrate and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface. The supply source is configured to supply a material to apply a process to the substrate. A shield member includes a first shield provided around the first supply source and a second shield provided around the second supply source, the first shield and the second shield being arranged to sandwich the substrate. A moving device is configured to move the first shield and the second shield to set one of a close state in which the first shield and the second shield are close to each other and a separate state in which the first shield and the second shield are separate from each other.
US09425024B2 Load simulator
A load simulator includes a passive element, two electrode plates that are connected to the passive element, and a bias applier. The bias applier is a coil spring, for example, and is provided between the two electrode plates. The bias applier biases at least one of the two electrode plates in a predetermined direction. The two electrode plates are disposed so as to be substantially parallel with each other, for example, and the bias applier biases the two electrode plates in the direction of separation from each other.
US09425023B2 Ion generator and thermal electron emitter
An ion generator includes an arc chamber, a cathode that extends outward from the inside of the arc chamber in an axial direction and that emits a thermal electron into the arc chamber, a thermal reflector with a cylindrical shape provided around the cathode in a radial direction and extending in the axial direction, and a narrow structure configured to narrow a width in the radial direction of a gap between the cathode and the thermal reflector at a given position in the axial direction.
US09425022B2 Monochromator and charged particle apparatus including the same
Disclosed herein are a monochromator and a charged particle beam apparatus including the same. The monochromator may include a first electrostatic lens configured to have a charged particle beam discharged by an emitter incident on the first electrostatic lens, refract a ray of the charged particle beam, and include a plurality of electrodes and a second electrostatic lens spaced apart from the first electrostatic lens at a specific interval and configured to have a central axis disposed identically with a central axis of the first electrostatic lens, have the charged particle beam output by the first electrostatic lens incident on the second electrostatic lens, refract the ray of the charged particle beam, and comprise a plurality of electrodes. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that a charged particle beam can have an excellent profile even after passing through the monochromator.
US09425019B1 Integrated field emission array for ion desorption
An integrated field emission array for ion desorption includes an electrically conductive substrate; a dielectric layer lying over the electrically conductive substrate comprising a plurality of laterally separated cavities extending through the dielectric layer; a like plurality of conically-shaped emitter tips on posts, each emitter tip/post disposed concentrically within a laterally separated cavity and electrically contacting the substrate; and a gate electrode structure lying over the dielectric layer, including a like plurality of circular gate apertures, each gate aperture disposed concentrically above an emitter tip/post to provide a like plurality of annular gate electrodes and wherein the lower edge of each annular gate electrode proximate the like emitter tip/post is rounded. Also disclosed herein are methods for fabricating an integrated field emission array.
US09425016B2 Electronic part and electronic control unit
A main body of an electronic part has multiple electrodes, to which multiple terminals are respectively connected. The terminals include a normal terminal and a fuse terminal, each of which extends from lands formed in a printed board so as to hold the main body at a position above and separated from a board surface of the printed board. The fuse terminal has multiple leg portions divided by slits. A first leg portion forms an electrical path portion having a cut-off portion, a width of which is smaller than that of other portions of the electrical path portion. A second leg portion has a first supporting leg and a second supporting leg, which are arranged at both sides of the first leg portion. Each of the supporting legs is connected to each of dummy lands formed in the printed board.
US09425014B2 Circuit interruption device employing shape memory alloy element
A circuit interruption device includes a support, a set of separable contacts, a first member movable between an OFF position and an ON position, a second member, and a transport mechanism that includes a shape memory alloy element. When the first member is in the OFF position, the second member is in an extended position, the shape memory alloy element is in its first shape, and the first surface and the another first surface are engaged with one another and resist movement of the first member away from the OFF position. Responsive to an electrical pulse, the shape memory alloy element transforms into its second shape and moves the first member toward the ON position. When the second member is in the extended position, the another second surface engages with the second surface to resist movement of the first member away from the ON position.
US09425013B2 Magnetic tripping device and overcurrent tripping device of an electrical switch and electrical switch and method for calibrating the magnetic tripping of a magnetic tripping device
An overcurrent tripping device of an electrical switch for interrupting a current flow in an electrical circuit in the event of the occurrence of an overload or a short circuit is disclosed. In an embodiment, the overcurrent tripping device includes a thermal tripping device and a magnetic tripping device. A magnetic tripping device is disclosed which, in an embodiment, includes at least one yoke element for generating a magnetic field, an armature element responding to the magnetic field, and a spring element. The armature element is arranged on an armature carrier element, separated from the yoke element, by way of a first armature element end and is mounted pivotably about an armature element rotation axis. In addition, an electrical switch including an overcurrent tripping device, and a method for calibrating magnetic tripping of a magnetic tripping device of an electrical switch, are disclosed.
US09425011B2 Method and system for soft switching of a relay
Provided is a system for soft switching of an electromechanical relay in a lighting control system using a sensor to detect a specified non-zero position in the electrical input waveform. Following this non-zero position, an adaptive time delay is applied before activation of the relay coil. An error detection circuit measures a time error between relay operation and the zero electrical input condition. This error signal is used to update the adaptive time delay for future relay operations. Using such a procedure has been shown to limit electrical stress on the relay, and therefore lengthen its life.
US09425006B2 Switch assembly, a switching device comprising a switch assembly, a switchgear comprising a switching device and a method for cooling
A switch assembly including a vacuum switch mounted to an at least partly electrically conductive housing, and a holder for a vacuum bottle. The housing includes at least one gas entry opening at a lower end of the housing and at least one gas exit opening at an upper end of the housing, and a first free heat convection path between the openings to provide cooling. A second free heat convection path may be provided in a free space between the holder and vacuum bottle. A switching device for connecting the vacuum switch to a second electric conductor. An electric power distribution switchgear, encapsulating at least one three-phase module including a switching device.
US09424998B2 Dye, photoelectric conversion element using the same, photoelectrochemical cell, and method of producing dye
A dye, having a structure represented by formula (1A): wherein A represents a group of atoms necessary for forming a ring together with the carbon-nitrogen bond; at least one of Y1A and Y2A represents an acidic group, in which when they each represent an acidic group, they may be the same as or different from each other, or when only one of them represents an acidic group, the other represents an electron-withdrawing group; D represents a group to give a dye; n represents an integer of 1 or greater; L represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; and Y3A represents an acidic group.
US09424996B2 Electrode active material, electrode and electrical storage device
The electrode active material includes a carbon material having a volume of macropores with 50 to 400 nm pore diameters of 0.05 to 0.40 cc/g. The carbon material may be a composite carbon material that contains a carbon material forming a core, and a coating carbon material covering at least part of the core-forming carbon material.
US09424992B2 Complimentary metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and method of manufacture
A high density capacitor and low density capacitor simultaneously formed on a single wafer and a method of manufacture is provided. The method includes depositing a bottom plate on a dielectric material; depositing a low-k dielectric on the bottom plate; depositing a high-k dielectric on the low-k dielectric and the bottom plate; depositing a top plate on the high-k dielectric; and etching a portion of the bottom plate and the high-k dielectric to form a first metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor having a dielectric stack with a first thickness and a second MIM capacitor having a dielectric stack with a second thickness different than the first thickness.
US09424991B2 Dielectric ceramic composition and multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising the same
There are provided a dielectric ceramic composition comprising ceramic dielectrics and a multilayer ceramic capacitor including the same. The dielectrics have grains of a core-shell structure, and when a diameter of a core is defined as D1 and a diameter of the dielectric grain is defined as D2, 40 nm≦D1≦150 nm and 150 nm≦D2≦550 nm are satisfied.
US09424989B2 Embedded multilayer ceramic electronic component and printed circuit board having the same
An embedded multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including a dielectric layer and having first and second main surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second end surfaces, first and second internal electrodes, and first and second external electrodes, wherein the first external electrode includes a first base electrode electrically connected to the first internal electrode, a first intermediate layer, and a first terminal electrode, the second external electrode includes a second base electrode electrically connected to the second internal electrode, a second intermediate layer, and a second terminal electrode, the first and second base electrodes include a first conductive metal and glass, and the first and second terminal electrodes are formed of a second conductive metal.
US09424976B2 Reactor
A reactor includes a core made of a magnetic material; a resin mold that encloses the core; a coil that is wound around the core through the resin mold; a plurality of fasteners located on the resin mold; and a supporting member that is secured to the resin mold through the fasteners. At least one of the plurality of fasteners is a flexible fastener.
US09424974B2 Dry-type transformer and method of manufacturing a dry-type transformer
A dry-type electrical transformer includes a coil assembly having at least one winding wound into a plurality of concentric turns, at least one cooling sector defined between adjacent concentric turns, spacers positioned inside the cooling sector and spaced from each other to allow a plurality of air ducts each defined between two adjacent spacers, and at least one electrical shield positioned in the cooling sector and arranged to electrically shield the air ducts. At least one electrical shield is positioned in the cooling sector and arranged to electrically shield the air ducts. The electrical shield include a first end edge connected to the turn at the inner side of the cooling sector, a second end edge which is free and electrically insulated from the surrounding parts, and a central portion extending between the first and second end edges and is positioned at the outer side of the spacers.
US09424965B2 Electrical conductors and methods of manufacturing electrical conductors
An electrical conductor includes a base substrate of at least one of copper, copper alloy, nickel or nickel alloy and a layered structure applied to the base substrate. The layered structure includes a foil and a graphene layer deposited on the foil. The layered structure is applied to the base substrate after the graphene layer is deposited on the foil. A method of manufacturing the electrical conductor includes providing a base substrate, providing a foil, depositing a graphene layer on the foil to define a layered structure, and depositing the layered structure on the base substrate.
US09424960B2 Aggregated thread structure, production method thereof, and electric wire using the same
A method for producing an aggregated thread structure includes (a) a process of dispersing carbon nanotube to a first solvent, which is water or a mixed solvent containing organic solvent and water, with a surfactant, to create a dispersion and (b) a process of injecting the dispersion, in which carbon nanotube is dispersed, to a condensing liquid, which is a second solvent that differs from the first solvent, to thereby aggregate and spin carbon nanotube. The aggregated thread structure containing carbon nanotube has: a bulk density of 0.5 g/cm3 or more; a weight reduction rate up to 450° C. of 50% or less; a G/D ratio for resonance Raman scattering measurement of 10 or more; and an electric conductivity of 50 S/cm or more.
US09424959B2 Conductive full vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer and its preparation method
The invention provides a conductive full vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer and its preparation method, and relates to the technical field of full vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer. The full vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer is obtained by melt-blending components including rubber particles having crosslinking structure with mean particle diameter of 0.02 to 1 μm, carbon nanotubes as conductive fillers and thermoplastic plastics once, wherein the weight ratio of the rubber particles and the thermoplastic plastics is from 30:70 to 75:25 and the content of conductive fillers is from 0.3 to 10 weight parts based on the total weight of rubber particles and thermoplastic plastics of 100 weight parts. The resulting conductive full vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers have low content of conductive fillers and excellent combination performances. It can be prepared by conventional rubber processing methods and can be used to produce electronic production equipment, means, electronic instrument, instrument housing and decorative materials of clean production workshop having static resistance, electro magnetic interference resistance and clean requirement.
US09424958B2 Multiple focal spot X-ray radiation filtering
For the generation of multiple-energy X-ray radiation, an X-ray tube (10) for generating multiple-energy X-ray radiation includes an anode (12) and a filter (14). At least a first (16) and a second focal spot position (18) are offset from each other in an offset direction (20) transverse to an X-ray radiation projection direction. The filter includes a first plurality (22) of first portions (24) with first filtering characteristics for X-ray radiation and a second plurality (26) of second portions (28) with second filtering characteristics for X-ray radiation. The filter is a directional filter adapted in a such a way that at least a first X-ray beam (30) emanating from the first focal spot position at least partly passes through the filter unit via the first portions, and a second X-ray beam (32) emanating from the second focal spot position passes obliquely through the first and the second portions when passing through the filter unit.
US09424955B2 Systems and methods for compressing plasma
Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are described in which plasma pressures above the breaking point of solid material can be achieved by injecting a plasma into a funnel of liquid metal in which the plasma is compressed and/or heated.
US09424953B2 Semiconductor memory device including repair circuit
A data transfer unit includes a page buffer to latch data of a normal bit line connected to a normal memory cell, a second page buffer to latch data of a parity bit line connected to a parity memory cell, and a third page buffer that is first replaced when the first page buffer is defective or when the second page buffer is defective. ECC Bus_1 is connected to the first, second, and third page buffers, respectively, and Data Bus_1 is connected to the first and third page buffers.
US09424950B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes first and second transistors having the same conductivity type and a circuit. One of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to that of the second transistor. First and third potentials are supplied to the circuit through respective wirings. A second potential and a first clock signal are supplied to the others of the sources and the drains of the first and second transistors, respectively. A second clock signal is supplied to the circuit. The third potential is higher than the second potential which is higher than the first potential. A fourth potential is equal to or higher than the third potential. The first clock signal alternates the second and fourth potentials and the second clock signal alternates the first and third potentials. The circuit controls electrical connections between gates of the first and second transistors and the wirings.
US09424948B1 Detection of initial state by eFuse array
An array of eFuses without a default state of logical one or logical zero includes rows and columns. One of the rows has data cells for programming as well as indicator data cells for indicating if the programmable data cells have been programmed. Each column includes a sense amplifier to sense the state of cells of the column. Sense amplifiers of columns with indicator data cells are coupled to one or more logic gates which determine if the indicator data cells are in a selected logical state. Sense amplifiers of columns with data cells are coupled to mask logic gates. The mask logic gates are coupled to both columns of data cells and outputs of the one or more logic gates. The logic gates mask outputs of the data cells when the indicator data cells are not in the selected logical state.
US09424943B2 Data reading device and semiconductor device
The present invention provides a data reading device capable of preventing erroneous writing during an operation of reading data from a non-volatile memory element. The data reading device includes a dummy reading circuit provided with a non-volatile memory element, the writing voltage of which is lower than that of a non-volatile memory element of a data reading circuit, and a state detection circuit that detects a written state of the non-volatile memory element of the dummy reading circuit. Upon detection of erroneous writing to the non-volatile memory element of the dummy reading circuit during a data reading operation, the data reading operation is immediately terminated.
US09424935B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment may include a memory string including a drain selection transistor, memory cells and a source selection transistor all coupled between a bit line and a common source line, and the drain selection transistor, the memory cells and the source selection transistor configured to operate, respectively, in response to voltages applied to a drain selection line, word lines and a source selection line. The semiconductor device may include an operation circuit configured for performing a program operation. The operation circuit may be configured for sequentially performing a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation. In the first operation memory cells adjacent to the drain selection transistor may be programmed. In the second operation memory cells adjacent to the source selection transistor may be programmed. In the third operation remaining memory cells may be programmed.
US09424931B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method of programming the same
In a method of programming a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device, a program loop is executed at least one time, wherein the program loop includes a programming step for programming selected memory cells among the memory cells and a verifying step for verifying whether the selected memory cells are program-passed or not. In the programming the selected memory cells, a level of a voltage being applied to a common source line connected to the strings in common may be changed. Thus, in a program operation, power consumption which is needed to charge-discharge the common source line can be decreased while increasing boosting efficiency.
US09424926B2 Reduced size semiconductor device and method for manufacture thereof
A nonvolatile semiconductor device is provided that includes a substrate and a plurality of blocks forming a string. Each block is positioned on the substrate and includes a plurality of word lines disposed on the substrate. The string includes a single ground select line disposed at one side of the plurality of blocks, and a single string select line is disposed at another side of the plurality of blocks. In some embodiments, the word lines of the plurality of blocks define gaps separating each block of the string from neighboring blocks of the string. One or more dummy word lines may be disposed in each gap between blocks of the string. Corresponding methods of manufacturing the nonvolatile semiconductor device and manipulating the nonvolatile semiconductor device are provided.
US09424924B2 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device having depletion-type and enhancement-type channel regions
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is proposed that has an unprecedented novel structure in which carriers can be injected into a floating gate by applying various voltages of the same polarity. According to the non-volatile semiconductor memory device of the present invention, in a memory transistor, a PN junction is formed at the boundary between a channel region and an opposite polarity type impurity diffusion layer, to allow a floating gate to be charged to have the same polarity as the polarity of the channel region, whereby a part of electrons accelerated in a depletion layer between the channel region and an opposite polarity type extension region, and secondary electrons generated by the accelerated electrons can be injected into the floating gate by being attracted to a gate electrode, as a result of which electrons can be injected into the floating gate even when, without simultaneously applying positive and negative voltages as in the conventional case, various voltages of the same polarity are applied to the floating gate, an impurity diffusion layer, and the opposite polarity type impurity diffusion layer.
US09424921B2 Signal processing circuit and method for driving the same
An object is to provide a signal processing circuit which can be manufactured without a complex manufacturing process and suppress power consumption. A storage element includes two logic elements (referred to as a first phase-inversion element and a second phase-inversion element) which invert a phase of an input signal and output the signal, a first selection transistor, and a second selection transistor. In the storage element, two pairs each having a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer and a capacitor (a pair of a first transistor and a first capacitor, and a pair of a second transistor and a second capacitor) are provided. The storage element is used in a storage device such as a register or a cache memory included in a signal processing circuit.
US09424917B2 Method for operating RRAM memory
Methods for operating memory are disclosed. A method includes applying a select word line voltage to a word line node of a first resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell; applying a first programming voltage to a source line node of the first RRAM cell; and setting the first RRAM cell comprising applying a second programming voltage to a bit line node of the first RRAM cell. The first programming voltage is greater than zero volts, and the second programming voltage is greater than the first programming voltage. Other disclosed methods include concurrently setting and resetting RRAM cells.
US09424916B2 Semiconductor memory device and method for reading the same using a memory cell array including resistive memory cells to perform a single read command
Disclosed are a semiconductor memory apparatus, and verify read method and system. The semiconductor memory apparatus includes a memory cell array including a plurality of resistive memory cells; and a control block controlling a resistance state of the memory cell to be discriminated based on a digital code value of at least 2 bits or more reflecting the resistance states of the plurality of resistive memory cells. Therefore, data of the memory is discriminated by analyzing distribution of the digital code values to monitor a characteristic of a current memory cell array and read the data having reliability.
US09424915B2 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a cell array layer including a first wire, a memory cell, and a second wire, and a control circuit. When performing set operation for setting the memory cell to a low resistance state, until a resistance value of the memory cell becomes lower than a predetermined resistance value, the control circuit repeating: applying a first voltage for setting to the memory cell; and a verify read verifying that the resistance value of the memory cell has become lower than the predetermined resistance value. After the verify read, the control circuit applies a second voltage having a different polarity from the first voltage to the memory cell before applying the first voltage that follows.
US09424912B2 Static ram
A static RAM includes: a plurality of memory cells provided at intersections of bit line pairs and word lines; a write driver connected between a high potential power source line and a drive line; a column switch including a first transistor pair which connects one of the plurality of bit line pairs to the write driver; and a boost circuit which boosts the drive line to a negative potential, wherein the boost circuit includes: a capacitive element one terminal of which is connected to the drive line, and to the other terminal of which a boost signal is applied; and a boost control transistor connected between the drive line and a reference potential power source line, the boost signal is applied to a gate of the boost control transistor, and the threshold value of the boost control transistor is lower than the threshold value of the first transistor pair.
US09424911B2 Method and apparatus for screening memory cells for disturb failures
Embodiments include a method comprising: receiving a first voltage; and while testing a memory cell: modifying the first voltage to generate a second voltage that is different from the first voltage; and performing a first read operation on the memory cell, based on applying (i) the second voltage to an array of transistors of the memory cell and (ii) the first voltage to the memory cell.
US09424910B2 Semiconductor device
There is provided, for example, a write assist circuit for controlling the voltage level of a memory cell power supply line coupled to an SRAM memory cell to be written in the write operation. The write assist circuit reduces the voltage level of the memory cell power supply line to a predetermined voltage level, in response to a write assist enable signal that is enabled in the write operation. At the same time, the write assist circuit controls the reduction speed of the voltage level of the memory cell power supply line, according to the pulse width of a write assist pulse signal. The pulse width of the write assist pulse signal is defined in such a way that the greater the number of rows (or the longer the length of the memory cell power supply line), the greater the pulse width.
US09424908B2 Differential vector storage for dynamic random access memory
A storage device stores data in groups of memory cells using vectors corresponding to voltage code codewords, each codeword having k entries. Entries have values selected from a set of at least three entry values and 2n distinct inputs can be encoded into k-entry codewords for some n>k. A vector storage element comprising k cells can store an k electrical quantities (voltage, current, etc.) corresponding to a codeword. The voltage code is such that, for at least one position of a vector, there are at least three vectors having distinct entry values at that position and, for at least a subset of the possible codewords, the sum of the entry values over the positions of each vector is constant from vector to vector in that subset. The storage device might be an integrated circuit device, a discrete memory device, or a device having embedded memory.
US09424906B2 Timing controller with delay time units for a semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of memory units respectively comprising a plurality of memory cells. A data bus is shared by the memory units and transfers data from the memory units or to the memory units. A timing controller includes a delay time unit shared by the memory units sharing the data bus. The timing controller is configured to output a control signal for driving the memory units after a predetermined delay time elapses since receiving an input signal.
US09424905B2 Method of operating semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a variable resistance memory element connected between first and second conductive lines intersecting each other, and a PN junction diode connected between the variable resistance memory element and the first conductive line. The method of operating the semiconductor device includes supplying the variable resistance memory element with a first directional current flowing from the second conductive line to the first conductive line by applying a first forward bias to the PN junction diode, and supplying the variable resistance memory element with a second directional current flowing from the first conductive line to the second conductive line by applying a reverse bias to the PN junction diode immediately after applying a second forward bias to the PN junction diode.
US09424898B2 Data storage device
A data storage device includes a first memory device suitable for performing an internal operation in response to a first internal operation command; and a state checking block suitable for performing a state read operation by transmitting a state read command one or more times to the first memory device during one of an initial mode and a repeat mode which is set based on a type of the internal operation.
US09424890B2 Semiconductor device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor device capable of inhibiting incorrect data readout is provided. In a memory cell including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor, the potential of a fourth wiring is set to GND when data is written, and the potential is set to VDD when data is read out, for example. Note that the potential of a third wiring is set to GND when data is written and when data is read out, for example. When data is read out, the first transistor is off, so that a first capacitor and a fourth capacitor are connected in series. The potential of a second electrode of the second capacitor increases in this state, and thus part of charges accumulated in the second capacitor transfers to the first capacitor, so that the potential of a node increases.
US09424889B1 Multiple-port SRAM device
A multiple-port memory cell includes first conductive lines in a first metal layer, second conductive lines in a second metal layer, third conductive lines a third metal layer, and fourth conductive lines in a fourth metal layer. The first conductive lines include a write bit line electrically coupled with a write bit line node; a first read bit line electrically coupled with a first read bit line node; and a second read bit line electrically coupled with a second read bit line node. The second conductive lines include a write word line electrically coupled with a write word line node. The fourth conductive lines include a first read word line electrically coupled with a first read word line node; and a second read word line electrically coupled with a second read word line node.
US09424886B1 Hard disk device and temperature alarm circuit of hard disk device
A hard disk device includes a main body and a temperature alarm circuit. The temperature alarm circuit includes a temperature detecting module detecting an internal temperature of the hard disk device, a control chip electrically coupled to the temperature detecting module to receive the internal temperature and configured to compare the internal temperature with a first preset temperature and a second preset temperature, a voltage pull-up module electrically coupled to the control chip, and an alarm module electrically coupled to the voltage pull-up module. The control chip outputs a control signal to the voltage pull-up module, the voltage pull-up module pulls up voltage of the control signal, and transmits the voltage pulled up control signal to the alarm module, and the alarm module alarms, in event that the internal temperature is higher than or equal to the first preset temperature or less than or equal to the second preset temperature.
US09424878B1 Two dimensional magnetic recording head separation calculator
A method for calculating an average phase offset in a two dimensional magnetic recording system includes calculating a phase offset as a difference between a phase of a first signal derived from a first read head and a second phase of a second signal derived from a second read head, correcting for phase wrapping differences between the phase offset and a previous phase offset, determining whether the phase offset is consistent with the previous phase offset, and calculating an average phase offset which includes the phase offset only if it is consistent with the previous phase offset.
US09424869B2 Device and method for controlling the position of a head relative to a tape within a tape transport system
Controlling the position of a head within a tape transport system. A track-follow control system (TFCS) includes a controller device for generating a control signal as a function of a position error signal (PES), wherein the PES indicates a difference between the actual and target positions of the head relative to the tape, and an actuator for changing the actual position. The TFCS is adapted to select a controller device configuration from a plurality of configurations dependent on an operating tape speed. The configurations are predetermined depending on a vibration frequency domain profile indicative of environmental vibrations induced to the head and tape to determine the control signal for adjusting an actuator output signal relative to a lateral tape motion signal. The TFCS is also adapted to feed-back a signal depending on a difference of the actuator output signal and the lateral tape motion signal to generate the PES.
US09424867B2 Excitation of a near-field transducer using combined transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes
A method involves receiving light from a light source at a fundamental transverse electric (TE00) mode or a fundamental transverse magnetic (TM00) mode. A waveguide polarization multiplexes the light to a combined mode that includes the TM00 mode and a first higher-order transverse electric (TE10) mode. A near-field transducer is excited via the light at the combined mode.
US09424862B2 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a digital conversation management platform
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A DIGITAL CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (“DCM-Platform”) transforms digital dialog from consumers, client demands and, Internet search inputs via DCM-Platform components into tradable digital assets, and client needs based artificial intelligence campaign plan outputs. In one implementation, The DCM-Platform may capture and examine conversations between individuals and artificial intelligence conversation agents. These agents may be viewed as assets. One can measure the value and performance of these agents by assessing their performance and ability to generate revenue from prolonging conversations and/or ability to effect sales through conversations with individuals.
US09424861B2 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a digital conversation management platform
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A DIGITAL CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (“DCM-Platform”) transforms digital dialogue from consumers, client demands and, Internet search inputs via DCM-Platform components into tradable digital assets, and client needs based artificial intelligence campaign plan outputs. In one implementation, The DCM-Platform may capture and examine conversations between individuals and artificial intelligence conversation agents. These agents may be viewed as assets. One can measure the value and performance of these agents by assessing their performance and ability to generate revenue from prolonging conversations and/or ability to effect sales through conversations with individuals.
US09424858B1 Acoustic receiver for underwater digital communications
A system and method and system for receiving communications signals coded at transmission in a frequency hopping waveform includes a sensor that receives acoustic data. A detector joined to the sensor receives the data and separates signals from background noise. Logic determines when the signal ends. Clusters of signals are processed and grouped into combinations of symbols. A computer translates these symbols into messages using a codebook. When multiple possibilities exist, the message is selected from the codebook that maximizes a similarity score. Additional logic is provided to handle situations where unwanted signals are mixed into an otherwise valid symbol sequence, to find the best subset of signals forming a valid message. Selected messages are provided as output to users. In further details, the detector filters the acoustic data and transforms it to the frequency domain. A power spectrum is calculated for detecting signals in specific frequency bands. Integrations are performed over groups of frequencies. A detection is indicated when one integrator has a large variation from the expected background level.
US09424855B2 Audio device and method for adding watermark data to audio signals
An audio device comprises a processor, an audio processing module, a high frequency noise generating circuit, a first switch control circuit, a second switch control circuit, a low pass filter circuit and an adder circuit. The audio device generates a watermark data, an original audio signal and a high frequency noise signal. The high frequency noise signal pass through a first switch control circuit and a second switch control circuit according to watermark data. A low pass filter circuit filters the high frequency noise signal received from the first switch control circuit to form a first add data. An adder circuit receives the first add data from the low pass filter circuit, receives the high frequency noise signal from the second switch control circuit as a second add data, and adds the first add data and the second add data to the original audio signal.
US09424849B2 Data transfer
Circuitry for transferring multiple digital data streams, e.g. digital audio data, over a single communications link such as a single wire. A pulse-length-modulator is responsive to a plurality of data streams to generate a series of data pulses with a single data pulse having a rising and falling edge in each of a plurality of transfer periods defined by a first clock signal. The timing of the rising and falling edge of each data pulse is dependent on a combination of the then current data samples from the plurality of data streams. The duration and position of the data pulse in the transfer window in effect defines a data symbol encoding the data. An interface receives the stream of data pulses, and data extraction circuitry samples the data pulse to determine which of the possible data symbols the pulse represents and determines a data value for at least one received data stream.
US09424846B2 Segment-based speaker verification using dynamically generated phrases
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying an identity of a user. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of receiving a request for a verification phrase for verifying an identity of a user. Additional actions include, in response to receiving the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user, identifying subwords to be included in the verification phrase and in response to identifying the subwords to be included in the verification phrase, obtaining a candidate phrase that includes at least some of the identified subwords as the verification phrase. Further actions include providing the verification phrase as a response to the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user.
US09424840B1 Speech recognition platforms
A speech recognition platform configured to receive an audio signal that includes speech from a user and perform automatic speech recognition (ASR) on the audio signal to identify ASR results. The platform may identify: (i) a domain of a voice command within the speech based on the ASR results and based on context information associated with the speech or the user, and (ii) an intent of the voice command. In response to identifying the intent, the platform may perform a corresponding action, such as streaming audio to the device, setting a reminder for the user, purchasing an item on behalf of the user, making a reservation for the user or launching an application for the user. The speech recognition platform, in combination with the device, may therefore facilitate efficient interactions between the user and a voice-controlled device.
US09424838B2 Pattern processing system specific to a user group
Methods and apparatus for identifying a user group in connection with user group-based speech recognition. An exemplary method comprises receiving, from a user, a user group identifier that identifies a user group to which the user was previously assigned based on training data. The user group comprises a plurality of individuals including the user. The method further comprises using the user group identifier, identifying a pattern processing data set corresponding to the user group, and receiving speech input from the user to be recognized using the pattern processing data set.
US09424837B2 Voice authentication and speech recognition system and method
A method for configuring a speech recognition system comprises obtaining a speech sample utilized by a voice authentication system in a voice authentication process. The speech sample is processed to generate acoustic models for units of speech associated with the speech sample. The acoustic models are stored for subsequent use by the speech recognition system as part of a speech recognition process.
US09424833B2 Method and apparatus for providing speech output for speech-enabled applications
Techniques for providing speech output for speech-enabled applications. A synthesis system receives from a speech-enabled application a text input including a text transcription of a desired speech output. The synthesis system selects one or more audio recordings corresponding to one or more portions of the text input. In one aspect, the synthesis system selects from audio recordings provided by a developer of the speech-enabled application. In another aspect, the synthesis system selects an audio recording of a speaker speaking a plurality of words. The synthesis system forms a speech output including the one or more selected audio recordings and provides the speech output for the speech-enabled application.
US09424828B2 System and method of microphone placement for noise attenuation
A method and system for attenuating noise comprises identifying a location in an area at which sound emitted from one or more speakers has acoustic characteristics that are substantially similar in measure to corresponding acoustic characteristics of the emitted sound at a location approximated to be near an ear of an occupant of the area. A microphone, which may be a virtual microphone, is disposed at the identified location. The microphone detects sound at the identified location. In response to the sound detected by the microphone, the one or more speakers emit a noise-canceling audio signal adapted to attenuate one or more frequencies in the sound detected by the microphone.
US09424827B2 Electronic percussion instrument with enhanced playing area
Electronic percussion instruments with enhanced playing areas and methods and systems for generating electrical signals in response to impacts to a playing surface are disclosed. A semi-permeable playing surface covering an acoustic noise reducing cavity of an electronic percussion instrument may receive an impact within a predefined impact region, and an electrical signal may be generated in response by an electromechanical sensor that senses the impact. In many instances, the generated electrical signal may be configured to be equivalent in magnitude to any other electrical signal generated by the electromechanical sensor, in response to any other received impact within the same predefined impact region.
US09424823B2 Method and apparatus for recognising music symbols
Disclosed are music symbol recognition apparatuses and methods that recognize music symbols from handwritten music notations. Various implementations may process handwritten music notations by segmenting the handwritten music notations into a plurality of elementary ink segments and then grouping the segments into graphical objects based on spatial relationships between the segments. One or more candidate music symbols may be determined for each graphical object, along with a symbol cost for each symbol, which represents a likelihood that the graphical object belongs to a predetermined class of symbols. The music symbol candidates may be parsed to form graphs based on grammar rules, and the graph most likely to represent the handwritten music notations may be selected for display or other use. The selection may be based on the symbol costs associated with each candidate and on spatial costs associated with the grammar rules that are applied to the candidates.
US09424804B2 Method and apparatus for controlling screen brightness corresponding to variation of illumination
A method of controlling a screen brightness in a user device includes determining an illumination when a display unit is turned on, determining an optimal brightness according to the illumination and displaying according to the optimal brightness during an illumination change, determining an illumination when the current optimal brightness reaches a threshold, and determining an optimal brightness in the determined illumination and controlling a screen display according to the optimal brightness.
US09424803B2 Liquid crystal display panel and method of driving the same
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel is disclosed. The LCD panel includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix, each pixel unit including at least two adjacent pixel sub-units. The LCD panel also includes a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, each pixel sub-unit being connected to one scan line and to one data line. The LCD panel also includes a driving circuit connected with the scan lines and the data lines, where the driving circuit is configured to drive each of the pixel sub-units via the scan lines and the data lines.
US09424802B2 Assistance for color recognition
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for processing a color image for a color blind person to perceive color variation within the color image. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a color image is received from an image capture device or other means. Each area of the color image having one of a specific color or color combination is determined. A pattern is generated based on the one of the specific color or color combination. A pattern overlay of the generated pattern is rendered on a display device.
US09424801B2 Display control device, non-transitory computer readable medium storing display control program, and color value data structure
Provided is a display control device causing a display unit to display plural color charts constituting a color sample used when obtaining color reproduction characteristics of the display unit, which densely include a color in which all values of two color components are set to be a minimum value or a maximum value of the values of the respective color components, in colors in which a value of one color component out of plural color components in a color space of the display unit is set to be a minimum value or a maximum value of the value of the color component.
US09424798B2 Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal for outputting an image and a control method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes a terminal main body, a display unit disposed on a front surface of the main body and configured to display an image, a movement sensor mounted in the main body and configured to sense a movement of the main body, a camera sensor activated in response to a movement of the main body, and a controller configured to control a display direction of the image according to a user location sensed by the camera sensor.
US09424794B2 Display panel and display device
A display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates, and a pixel array disposed on the first substrate and including at least one pixel, which includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and an insulation layer disposed between the first and second electrode layers. The second electrode layer has n electrode portions, the electrode portions are spaced from each other and disposed along a first direction, an electrode width of one of the electrode portions along the first direction is denoted by W (μm), the maximum width of a light-emitting area of the pixel along the first direction is denoted by Ax (μm), and the equation is satisfied as below: 1 2 × ( 10 × Ax 3 × W - 1 ) - 1 ≦ n ≦ 1 2 × ( 10 × Ax 3 × W - 1 ) + 1.
US09424787B2 Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
Discussed is an LCD device. The LCD device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel in which a plurality of pixels are respectively formed in a plurality of areas defined by intersections between a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, and a driving unit configured to switch inversion systems for driving the liquid crystal panel at predetermined periods.
US09424786B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including gate lines and a storage capacitance line, a first source line and a second source line, a main pixel electrode which has a strip shape, a sub-pixel electrode which is continuous with the main pixel electrode and has a strip shape extending toward the first source line and the second source line, and a first alignment film, a second substrate including second main common electrodes extending on both sides of the main pixel electrode, second sub-common electrodes which are continuous with the second main common electrodes and extend on both sides of the sub-pixel electrode, and a second alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US09424785B2 Electric optical apparatus, driving method thereof and electronic device
An electric optical apparatus including a display section in which an electric optical material is pinched between a pair of substrates and a plurality of pixels is arranged, wherein the display section is provided with a scanning line, a data line and a power-supply line that are connected to each of the pixels, and each of the pixels is provided with a pixel electrode, a driving transistor that is connected between the pixel electrode and the power-supply line, a capacitance for modulation that is connected between a gate of the driving transistor and the data line, a maintenance capacitance that connects one side electrode to the gate of the driving transistor, and a transistor for correction that is connected to a diode and in which one side terminal thereof is connected to the gate of the driving transistor.
US09424783B2 Display device optimized for a human circadian rhythm
Provided is a display device. The display device includes a display panel and first to third light source units. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. The first to third light source units are disposed on a rear of the display panel. The first light source unit emits yellow light. The second light source unit emits a first blue light in a first wavelength band. The third light source unit emits a second blue light in a second wavelength band. The second wavelength band includes light of a longer wavelength than light of the first wavelength band. The first wavelength band ranges from about 430 nm to about 455 nm. The second wavelength band may ranges from about 460 nm to about 505 nm.
US09424779B2 Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes a scan driving unit supplying a first scan signal and a second scan signal to each of a plurality of scan lines; a data driving unit supplying data signals to each of a plurality of data lines to be synchronized with the second scan signal; pixels positioned at intersections of the scan lines with the data lines, receiving bias power when the first scan signal is supplied, and receiving the data signals when the second scan signal is supplied.
US09424778B2 Drive circuit, driving method, display unit, and electronic apparatus
A drive section driving a plurality of pixel circuits by line-sequential scanning is provided. On a plurality of the pixel circuits belonging to one horizontal line, the above-described drive section performs a first preparation drive based on a first voltage in a first preparation period, then performs a second preparation drive based on the first voltage in a second preparation period, and performs writing of luminance information in a subsequent writing period. The second preparation period ends at a timing out of the first preparation periods of other horizontal lines.
US09424777B2 Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a display panel including pixels and having first and second end portions opposing each other, and a center portion therebetween. First and second power supply voltage lines extend from the first end portions to the second end portions. A third power supply voltage line having first and second ends are respectively formed in the first and center portions. A fourth power supply voltage line has first and second ends respectively formed in the first and second end portions. A power supply unit is formed adjacent to the first end portion and configured to apply a first power supply voltage to the first ends of the first and second power supply voltage lines and a second power supply voltage to the first end of the third power supply voltage line.
US09424767B2 Local rendering of text in image
Various embodiments are disclosed that relate to enhancing the display of images comprising text on various computing device displays. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides, on a computing device, a method of displaying an image, the method including receiving from a remote computing device image data representing a non-text portion of the image, receiving from the remote computing device unrendered text data representing a text portion of the image, rendering the unrendered text data based upon local contextual rendering information to form locally rendered text data, compositing the locally rendered text data and the image data to form a composited image, and providing the composited image to a display.
US09424761B2 Medical simulation system and method with configurable anatomy model manufacturing
Simulation systems and methods may enable medical training. A manufacturing unit may receive data from a configuration unit indicating identification and manufacturing parameters for an anatomy model. A data processing unit may receive data from the configuration unit identifying the anatomy model, and data from a calibration unit indicating a position and/or orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to the anatomy model. The data processing unit may also receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position and/or orientation of the anatomy model. The data processing unit may generate a virtual image using the data from the position and orientation sensor, the data from the calibration unit, and the data from the configuration unit. The data processing unit may render the virtual image to a display.
US09424760B2 Simulation apparatus
A medical simulation model is provided for use in medical training, and having a wall defining a chamber, and having a slit in the wall providing access to the interior of the chamber. A pair of rib-cage members is located within the chamber such that adjacent edges of each member are spaced apart from each other. Resilient biasing elements are connected to each rib-cage member and configured such that adjacent edges of the rib-cage members may be brought into contact with each other, or further spaced-apart, against the action of the resilient biasing elements. A conduit is provided to enable fluid to be introduced into the chamber, and a facsimile of a mammalian heart is located within the chamber.
US09424759B2 Braille display device and method of constructing same
Disclosed is a Braille display device. The device supports an array of individual Braille cells with corresponding tactile pins. The pins can be selectively lifted by way of reeds to generate Braille characters that can be felt by the user. The Braille characters can correspond to visible characters, such as characters on a computer screen. The display is refreshable to allow for the sequential display of lines, paragraphs, or pages. In accordance with the disclosure, the Braille cells are constructed in a manner that minimizes manufacturing costs and that also permits the size of the display to be greatly reduced.
US09424757B2 Method of playing music based on chords and electronic device implementing the same
A method of playing music based on chords in an electronic device is provided. The method includes identifying background music related to a piece of music to load sound source data synchronized with the background music from a memory, reproducing the background music, identifying chords corresponding to the reproduced background music in the sound source data, configuring notes corresponding to the chords as notes corresponding to touch objects displayed on the touch screen, and when the chords are changed, reconfiguring notes corresponding to the changed chords as the notes corresponding to the touch objects.
US09424754B2 Methods and systems for briefing aircraft procedures
Methods and systems are provided for providing procedure information associated with an aircraft procedure onboard an aircraft. An exemplary method involves obtaining a briefing sequence for the aircraft procedure and providing the procedure information via the output device, wherein the procedure information is provided in accordance with the briefing sequence. When the output device is realized as an audio output device, the procedure information is sequentially provided auditorily via the audio output device. In one or more embodiments, the procedure information is sequentially indicated on a display device onboard the aircraft in concert with the auditorily provided procedure information.
US09424752B1 Methods and systems for performing fleet planning based on coarse estimates of regions
Example methods and systems for performing fleet planning based on coarse estimates of regions is provided. A method may include receiving information indicative of a sequence of coverage requirements for a region over a period of time. For one or more time intervals of the period of time, the method may include dividing the region over which vehicles of the plurality of vehicles may traverse into a plurality of sub-regions such that for each subsequent time interval a size of a given sub-region increases. The method includes at each of the one or more time intervals of the period of time, determining vehicles of the plurality of vehicles that can reach a given landmark in a given sub-region by an end of the one or more time intervals, and based on the sequence of coverage requirements, generating a fleet plan for the time intervals based on the determined vehicles.
US09424750B2 Vehicle control system, specific object determination device, specific object determination method, and non-transitory storage medium storing specific object determination program
A vehicle control system includes: an anti-collision safety control unit executing anti-collision safety control for avoiding or alleviating a collision with an object including a reflection point on the basis of positional information about the reflection point, output from a positional information output unit; and a cancellation unit calculating an index value that increases with a duration of a state where a variation in a position of the reflection point in a direction perpendicular to a vehicle travelling direction is smaller than a predetermined amount and that, when the index value exceeds a threshold, issues a command such that the anti-collision safety control unit does not execute anti-collision safety control over the reflection point. When it is determined that the vehicle is travelling near a curve entrance, the cancellation unit increases the threshold as compared with when it is determined that the vehicle is not travelling near a curve entrance.
US09424747B2 Vehicle counting methods and systems utilizing compressed video streams
This disclosure provides method and systems of recording a predetermined event associated with a moving object, the predetermined event captured with an image capturing unit and one or more of the associated frames compressed, producing one or more motion vectors. According to one exemplary embodiment, vehicle counting is performed based on motion vectors produced during the data compression process, either inline or offline.
US09424746B2 System and method for setting warning reference of advanced driver assistance system
A system and method for setting a warning reference of an advanced driver assistance system are provided. The method includes receiving, by a controller, vehicle information based on a driving condition from a telematics terminal and calculating statistical data for each item of the vehicle information based on the collected vehicle information. In addition, the controller is configured to store the statistical data in a database and calculate at least one time series risk index based on statistical data and a computation weight table stored in the database. The time series risk index is then transmitted to the telematics terminal.
US09424745B1 Predicting traffic patterns
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for predicting traffic patterns. One of the methods includes receiving a velocity distribution for a road segment, wherein the velocity distribution includes, for each velocity interval, a count of how many velocity observations have a velocity measurement within the velocity interval, wherein each velocity observation has one or more features describing conditions under which the velocity observation was made. A mixture model having K component distributions is generated for the velocity distribution. A decision tree is generated from the K component distributions and a rule is generated from a particular leaf of the decision tree, wherein the rule maps one or more features for the road segment to one of the K component distributions according to a path from the root of the decision tree to the particular leaf.
US09424739B2 Self powered wireless system
Apparatus for a self-powered wireless transmitter system. One such system includes an inductor, a delay circuit, and a transmitter with an antenna. The magnet interacting with the inductor generates both power and a trigger signal. The inductor generates sufficient power for the transmitter to transmit a wireless signal corresponding to when the magnet interacts with the inductor. Precise timing is insured by the inductor being connected to the trigger input of the transmitter unit and the delay circuit adding a short delay to the signal from the inductor with the delayed signal connected to the supply voltage connection of the transmitter. The transmitter transmits the wireless signal upon being energized through the delay circuit.
US09424738B2 Automatic updates to a remote control device
A method includes detecting that a particular media device is communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices; in response to detecting that the particular media device is communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices: automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to a remote control device.
US09424737B2 User management of a response to a system alarm event
A system and method for managing a response to an alarm event for an alarm system monitoring a premises are provided. The premises is associated with at least one user device. The system includes a monitoring device including a processor programmed to: determine whether an alarm event has triggered at the premises, determine whether a user response message associated with the at least one user device has been received, and in response to receiving the user response message, cause an indicator at a remote monitoring center to indicate whether the user wants at least one response action.
US09424736B2 Asset-based weather and event alerts
In an approach for asset management, a processor identifies the location of an asset. A processor receives information specific to the location of the asset. A processor determines that an alert is required based on at least the asset, the location of the asset, and the information specific to the location of the asset. A processor generates an alert.
US09424735B2 Method and apparatus for hand disinfection quality control
Method and apparatus for hand disinfection quality control comprising the steps of providing hand disinfection medium comprising light reflecting particles responsive to light mostly outside the visible spectral range of light, applying the hand disinfection medium comprising the light reflecting particles in a prescribed manner for a prescribed time, illuminating the disinfected hands with a light source providing light in a spectral range for activating the reflecting particles. The method further comprises providing digital images of the hands from both sides, determining the concentration of reflecting particles, comparing determined concentration values with a predetermined threshold value corresponding to acceptable hand cleanness, and determining whether the quality of disinfection is acceptable or not according to the result of comparison. In the method according to the invention for each person individual threshold value is stored, and the concentration value determined during measuring is compared with the individual threshold value.
US09424734B1 Device to monitor distance between people
The device to monitor distance between people measures a pre-defined distance between a first person and other persons, and alerts the user when the pre-defined distance has been breached or violated for more than a pre-determined time. Intended to protect a first human from the deleterious effects of radiation (nuclear) associated with a second human, but useful in other circumstances, the device is designed to detect the presence of a first person within a protective radius of one to two meters of a second person by pairing the combination of one heat sensor with one distance sensor. In the event the first person is within that radius for the predetermined time, the device will alert the user of that circumstance. Alert feedback mechanisms can include an acoustic audible signal, a visible signal, a vibratory signal, or phone notification.
US09424731B2 Multi level hazard detection system
A multi level hazard detection system for home residents or owners or service providers that want to efficiently monitor and detect numerous common hazards in houses, offices or industrial structures. Hazards that may be dangerous their health or to the structural integrity of their houses, offices and industrial structures and all appliances and systems that are of these structures such as heating and cooling systems, pipes and more. By detecting hazards in advance, residents home owners and service providers can better protect their property. The multi level hazard detection system generally includes Single or Multi Sensor Device (170) that can be based on Low Power Communication Module (110), A Monitor and Control Device (140) which can be a mobile phone, desktop or laptop computer, an Analytic Server (150) and Relay Dongle (160).
US09424726B2 System and method for global safety communication
Systems and methods are provided herein describe a global safety system for workers in hazardous locations such as electrical Class 1/Division 1 locations. In at least one example, a user will carry a user device that is approved for the hazardous electrical locations. This device will monitor for safety-triggering events such as a lack of user movement, a press of an emergency button, or any other indication of an emergency. Once a safety-triggering event is detected, the user device will transmit an alert to a user station outside of the hazardous electrical location. In turn, the user station will transmit an alert to a remote station regarding the status of the user device.
US09424725B1 School perimeter security system
A school perimeter security system includes a registry database. The registry database includes: registered student mobile device identifiers, registered non-student mobile device identifiers, and a matching of students with authorized non-students with whom the students are permitted to be paired with near the perimeter. At least three beacon devices are located within the school perimeter, positioned to establish a boundary area near the perimeter, detect and establish communication with mobile devices entering the boundary area, obtain an identifier from each mobile device that enters the boundary area, and facilitate trilateration of all mobile devices within the boundary area. The processor and beacon devices cooperatively interact to identify every mobile device entering the boundary area, track the location of every mobile device within the boundary area, compare the identified mobile devices with identifiers in the registry database and, transmit an alert notice when a condition is satisfied.
US09424724B2 Single turn magnetic drive loop for electronic article surveillance
A single turn loop electronic article surveillance (EAS) gate. The gate includes a closed magnetic core, a multi-turn primary winding wound around the core, and a secondary loop passing through the core once. The secondary loop is a self-supporting single turn loop, and the secondary loop is a transmit loop that generates a magnetic drive field for the article detection gate system.
US09424721B2 Point-of-sale system
A point-of-sale system includes a stand that supports a tablet computer. The tablet computer can run a merchant application to provide the typical functionality for a point-of-sale system. The stand can be rotatable to face either the merchant or the customer. The stand can incorporate a card reader. The tablet computer can be connected through a hub to other peripheral components, such as a controllable cash drawer, a printer and/or a bar code reader. The cash drawer can include a slidable drawer having sliding rails that are hidden from a top view of the drawer.
US09424719B2 Gaming system and method for sudoku-based game
A gaming system and method for administering a Sudoku-based game is provided that includes at least one engine for randomly generating a Sudoku puzzle, at least one first module for modifying the generated Sudoku puzzle into a game puzzle, at least one second module for permuting the game puzzle for each player, and at least one system for providing a game puzzle to each player and administering a gaming game from the game puzzle provided to each player.
US09424713B2 Gameplay-altering portable wagering media
Portable wagering media may be utilized to alter play of wagering games.
US09424711B2 Electronic system for playing of reel-type games
There is disclosed an electronic gaming system (100) comprising one or more player interfaces (6, 7, 17), and a main video display screen (1). The system enables players to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games and to place bets on lines of the games. The system displays a plurality of display windows on the main display screen, each window being associated with a respective one of the simultaneously played games and displaying the reels of that game, each reel displaying reel indicia. The system is configured for any one of the games to enter a feature phase when a feature-triggering event occurs. At the start of the feature phase, all the display windows on the main screen, except the particular display window associated with the feature phase, reduce in size or disappear, while the size of the feature game's display window increases, and the other games are also suspended, until the feature phase is completed.
US09424704B2 Information processing device, cash processing terminal, and information processing system
Provided is an art by which serial numbers read by a cash processing terminal can be easily searched or analyzed, and the time and effort of recording the serial numbers of counterfeit banknotes in the cash processing terminal is reduced. An information processing device (100) set up between a cash processing terminal group in a local network and an external network that is external thereto is provided. The information processing device (100) comprises: an information acquisition unit (121) that acquires, in the local network, the serial numbers obtained by reading paper money using a cash processing terminal (200) that constitutes the cash processing terminal group; a storage control unit (122) that stores the serial numbers in a storage unit (130); a condition acquisition unit (124) that acquires a condition relating to the serial numbers of the counterfeit banknotes; and a serial number notification unit (125) that acquires, from the storage unit (130), the serial numbers meeting the condition and notifies any of the cash processing terminals constituting the cash processing terminal group, or a cash processing terminal in a local network different from the abovementioned local network.
US09424703B2 System to classify an item of value
A handling apparatus comprising an offset sampling module and a digital processing module is described herein. The offset sampling module is configured to provide a sampled signal by sampling at least one signal at a sampling frequency that is offset from a fundamental frequency of the signal by an offset factor; and the digital processing module configured to convert the sampled signal into a frequency domain signal. The handling apparatus further includes an authentication module to determine at least one characteristic property based at least on the frequency domain signal; and to classify the inserted item of value based on the determination.
US09424698B2 Keyless entry system
In a keyless entry system including an in-vehicle device, and a portable device operated by a built-in battery, a request signal is transmitted from the in-vehicle device to the portable device so that wireless communication is performed between the in-vehicle device and the portable device, the portable device can set first sensitivity that is predetermined sensitivity and second sensitivity that is higher sensitivity than the first sensitivity and at which a detection area for the request signal is wide, as detection sensitivity for detecting the request signal, sets the detection sensitivity to the second sensitivity when determining that the portable device is in the vehicle's interior or within the predetermined distance from the vehicle, and sets the detection sensitivity to the first sensitivity when determining that the portable device is not in or comes to be not in the vehicle's interior or within the predetermined distance from the vehicle.
US09424696B2 Virtual trainer for in vehicle driver coaching and to collect metrics to improve driver performance
A method of providing visual feedback to a driver based on data collected during vehicle operation. A processor at the vehicle analyzes vehicle data, and determines when predetermined threshold values have been reached for particular parameters. Whenever such a threshold is reached, a visual alert is presented to the driver. Certain parameters have at least two threshold values. When a first threshold value is reached, an alert is presented to the driver, but no data is recorded or reported. When a second threshold value is reached, another alert is presented to the driver, and data is recorded for reporting to a driver manager or supervisor. The tiered threshold approach provides a warning to a driver, such that if they correct the behavior triggering the warning, their supervisor is never notified of that behavior. However, if the behavior escalates, and the second threshold is breached, the behavior is recorded.
US09424695B2 Code evaluator tool with urgency indicator
A diagnostic tool and method are provided wherein the diagnostic tool can be configured to communicate a message including indicators to indicate the condition of the vehicle using a database and the DTCs present in the vehicle. The message can indicate for each DTC retrieved from the vehicle, the level of repair urgency and whether the vehicle can be driven without damaging the vehicle through one or both of a display and a speaker.
US09424693B2 Maintenance planning optimization for repairable items based on prognostics and health monitoring data
Maintenance interventions are planned using RUL (Remaining Useful Life) estimations obtained from a PHM (Prognostics and Health Monitoring) system as well as estimations of spare parts availability. PHM information is used to verify whether spare parts will be available when the next failures are expected to occur, and expected RUL of a component or system based on a set of measurements collected from the aircraft systems can be used to schedule repair times that do not conflict with other repairs to avoid wait time and maximize repair shop capacity utilization.
US09424691B2 Parking meter communications for remote payment with updated display
A parking meter receives data indicative of a remote payment being completed and displays an amount of time purchased by the remote payment for a parking session. The parking meter determines an amount of time remaining in the parking session and powers down at least a portion of a meter communication subsystem subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the remote payment being completed. The parking meter wakes up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem upon determining that the amount of time remaining is below a threshold time, and can receive an indication of additional time being paid for remotely, and can update the displayed time remaining to reflect the additional time.
US09424689B2 System,method,apparatus and computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing information processing program for providing an augmented reality technique
An augmented reality technique is implemented by, for example, an information processing apparatus which is configured to function and operate as an image acquiring unit that acquires an image of a real space captured by an imaging device, a feature detection unit that detects one or more features from the captured image, an image generating unit that generates an image of a virtual space and places a virtual object made to correspond to the detected feature at a position in the virtual space based on the position of the detected feature in the acquired real space image, and a display control unit that causes an image to be displayed on a display device such that a user sees the virtual space image superimposed upon the acquired real space image. In one example operation implementation, when a first feature and a second feature are detected together in a captured real space image, the image generating unit determines a first virtual object corresponding to a combination of the first feature and the second feature and places the first virtual object at a position in the virtual space based on a position of the second feature in the acquired real space image.
US09424686B2 Graphics processing circuit having second vertex shader configured to reuse output of first vertex shader and/or process repacked vertex thread group and related graphics processing method thereof
A graphics processing circuit includes a buffer, a first vertex shader, and a second vertex shader. The first vertex shader generates at least coordinate values of a plurality of vertices to the buffer. The second vertex shader reads at least a portion of buffered coordinate values from the buffer, and reuses at least the portion of the buffered coordinate values to generate a value of at least one user-defined variable.
US09424682B2 Systems and methods for visualizing elongated structures and detecting branches therein
Computer implemented methods are disclosed for acquiring, using a processor, digital data of a portion of an elongate object, and identifying, using a processor, a centerline connecting a plurality of points within the portion of the elongate object. The methods also may include defining a first half-plane along the centerline, traversing a predetermined angular distance in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction from the first half-plane to a second half-plane to define an angular wedge, and calculating, using a processor, a view of the angular wedge between the first half-plane and the second half-plane and generating an electronic view of the angular wedge.
US09424680B2 Image data reformatting
A method for reformatting image data includes obtaining volumetric image data indicative of an anatomical structure of interest, identifying a surface of interest of the anatomical structure of interest in the volumetric image data, identifying a thickness for a sub-volume of interest of the volumetric image data, shaping the sub-volume of interest such that at least one of its sides follows the surface of interest, and generating, via a processor, a maximum intensity projection (MIP) or direct volume rendering (DVR) based on the identified surface of interest and the shaped sub-volume of interest.
US09424679B2 Three-dimensional motion capture
In one general aspect, a method is described. The method includes generating a positional relationship between one or more support structures having at least one motion capture mark and at least one virtual structure corresponding to geometry of an object to be tracked and positioning the support structures on the object to be tracked. The support structures has sufficient rigidity that, if there are multiple marks, the marks on each support structure maintain substantially fixed distances from each other in response to movement by the object. The method also includes determining an effective quantity of ray traces between one or more camera views and one or more marks on the support structures, and estimating an orientation of the virtual structure by aligning the determined effective quantity of ray traces with a known configuration of marks on the support structures.
US09424678B1 Method for teleconferencing using 3-D avatar
A method for implementing teleconferences when at least one participant receives 3-D data. A data rendering device presents data in a 3-D format or in pseudo 3-D format. A 3-D image is formed on a user computer system. The 3-D presentation is calculated by a local computer system. A block of user avatars is formed on the local computer system for all teleconference participants (including a local participant). The participant avatar includes a kinetic model (joints, muscles, body parts, etc.). The avatar includes a participant's behavior model (gestures, fingers, mimics, etc). The avatar also includes an avatar skin. The avatar skin includes a stable (unchangeable) part of the participant containing face and visible body parts, as well as modifiable parts (e.g., clothes, shoes, accessories, etc.).
US09424676B2 Transitioning between top-down maps and local navigation of reconstructed 3-D scenes
Technologies are described herein for transitioning between a top-down map display of a reconstructed structure within a 3-D scene and an associated local-navigation display. An application transitions between the top-down map display and the local-navigation display by animating a view in a display window over a period of time while interpolating camera parameters from values representing a starting camera view to values representing an ending camera view. In one embodiment, the starting camera view is the top-down map display view and the ending camera view is the camera view associated with a target photograph. In another embodiment, the starting camera view is the camera view associated with a currently-viewed photograph in the local-navigation display and the ending camera view is the top-down map display.
US09424672B2 Method and apparatus for processing and aligning data point clouds
An approach is provided to efficiently and accurately process and align of one or more portions of a plurality of data point clouds. A processing platform may cause a segmentation of at least one first geo-registered point cloud and at least one second geo-registered point cloud based, at least in part, on an application of a ground surface threshold to one or more respective points in the at least one first geo-registered point cloud and the at least one second geo-registered point cloud. The processing platform may further cause a processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more respective points that are above the ground surface threshold to determine a horizontal offset for a horizontal alignment of the at least one first geo-registered point cloud and the at least one second geo-registered point cloud. The processing platform may also cause a processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more respective points that are below the ground surface threshold to determine a vertical offset for a vertical alignment of the at least one first geo-registered point cloud and the at least one second geo-registered point cloud.
US09424671B1 Optimizing photo album layouts
Implementations generally relate to optimizing a photo album layout. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a plurality of images and determining a target arrangement. The method also includes arranging the plurality of images in an N-dimensional arrangement based on a predetermined distance function. The method also includes arranging the plurality of images in the target arrangement based on the N-dimensional arrangement.
US09424668B1 Session-based character recognition for document reconstruction
Systems and methods are provided for sharing a screen from a mobile device. For example, a method includes receiving an image from a mobile device, performing recognition on the image to identify space-delimited strings, and generating a content graph for the image, the content graph having content nodes that represent at least some of the strings and the content graph having edges that represent a relative position of strings associated with the content nodes connected by the edges. The method may also include repeating the receiving, performing recognition, and generating for a plurality of images, the plurality of images belonging to a session, and generating a combined graph from the plurality of content graphs based on similarity of content nodes between content graphs, the combined graph representing text from the plurality of images in reading order.
US09424667B2 Interface for controlling and improving drilling operations
A system including a display for displaying a comparison between a calculated energy value and a desired energy value of a drilling system, the display including a first portion defining a first potential operational issue, a second portion defining a second potential operational issue, a third portion defining a third potential operational issue, and a fourth portion indicating the comparison between the calculated energy value compared and the desired energy value of the drilling system.
US09424663B2 Apparatus and method for coding a three dimensional mesh
Disclosed is a three-dimensional (3D) mesh compression apparatus and method. The 3D mesh compression apparatus may generate a base mesh through a mesh simplification, may separately compress the base mesh and vertices eliminated by the simplification, and may compress 3D mesh data based on the covariance matrix.
US09424659B2 Real time processing of video frames
A method and system for real time processing of a sequence of video frames. A current frame in the sequence and at least one frame in the sequence occurring prior to the current frame is analyzed. Each frame includes a two-dimensional array of pixels. The sequence of video frames is received in synchronization with a recording of the video frames in real time. The analyzing includes performing a background subtraction on the at least one frame, which determines a background image and a static region mask associated with a static region consisting of a contiguous distribution of pixels in the current frame. The static region mask identifies each pixel in the static region upon the static region mask being superimposed on the current frame. A determination is made that a persistence requirement, both a non-persistence duration requirement and a persistence duration requirement, or a combination thereof have been satisfied.
US09424657B2 Image motion detection method, image processing method and apparatus using the methods
An image processing method for detecting an image motion information between a first image unit and a second image unit is provided. The first image unit and second image unit respectively comprise a plurality of blocks, and each of the blocks comprises a plurality of pixels. The image motion detection method comprises: analyzing pixels at the same position in all blocks of the first image unit to generate a first image statistical information; analyzing pixels at the same position in all blocks of the first image unit to generate a first image statistical information; and comparing the first image statistical information with the second image statistical information to determine the image motion information.
US09424650B2 Sensor fusion for depth estimation
To generate a pixel-accurate depth map, data from a range-estimation sensor (e.g., a time-of flight sensor) is combined with data from multiple cameras to produce a high-quality depth measurement for pixels in an image. To do so, a depth measurement system may use a plurality of cameras mounted on a support structure to perform a depth hypothesis technique to generate a first depth-support value. Furthermore, the apparatus may include a range-estimation sensor which generates a second depth-support value. In addition, the system may project a 3D point onto the auxiliary cameras and compare the color of the associated pixel in the auxiliary camera with the color of the pixel in reference camera to generate a third depth-support value. The system may combine these support values for each pixel in an image to determine respective depth values. Using these values, the system may generate a depth map for the image.
US09424649B1 Moving body position estimation device and moving body position estimation method
An evaluation value calculation unit is configured to compare an edge image and virtual image for each particle, assigns a higher evaluation value if there are more overlapping edges between the images, and assigns a higher evaluation value if there are more edges that are not overlapping edges and for which an edge-to-edge distance, which is the distance between an edge in the edge image and an edge in the virtual image, is less than or equal to a prescribed value. A position and orientation estimation unit is configured to estimate the position of a vehicle based on the evaluation value for each particle.
US09424647B2 Visual-based inertial navigation
A method includes: receiving sensor measurements from a pre-processing module, in which the sensor measurements include image data and inertial data for a device; transferring, using a processor, information derived from the sensor measurements, from a first set of variables associated with a first window of time to a second set of variables associated with a second window of time, in which the first and second windows consecutively overlap in time; and outputting, to a post-processing module, a state of the device based on the transferred information.
US09424644B2 Methods and systems for evaluating bone lesions
Methods and systems for evaluating bone lesions include accessing a first dataset acquired from a patient with a first imaging modality and a second dataset acquired from the patient with a second imaging modality. A segmentation is performed on the first dataset to identify a subset of the first dataset corresponding to a skeletal structure of the patient and a patient skeletal metric representing a total bone volume of the patient is automatically calculated from the subset of the first dataset. The methods and systems further include detection of at least one lesion in the second dataset, classification of the at least one lesion as a bone or non-bone lesion, automatic calculation of a bone lesion metric based on the classification, and calculation of a lesion burden as a ratio of the bone lesion metric and the patient skeletal metric.
US09424639B2 Method of assessing heterogeneity in images
A method of assessing heterogeneity in images is disclosed. 3D images of an object are acquired. The acquired images may be filtered and masked. Iterative decomposition is performed on the masked images to obtain image subdivisions that are relatively homogeneous. Comparative analysis, such as variogram analysis or correlogram analysis, is performed of the decomposed images to determine spatial relationships between regions of the images that are relatively homogeneous.
US09424638B2 Apparatus and method for analyzing medical image
An apparatus for analyzing a medical image includes an image receiving unit configured to receive two or more medical images from a medical device; a image registration unit configured to register the two or more received medical images; an overlapped area detecting unit configured to detect overlapped areas in the two or more registered medical images; and a lesion analyzing unit configured to analyze lesions in the two or more registered medical images by employing different analysis techniques in the detected overlapped areas.
US09424637B2 Vessel segmentation method and apparatus using multiple thresholds values
A vessel segmentation method includes acquiring an image of a blood vessel, including cross sections, using a contrast medium. The method further includes setting a threshold value for each of the cross sections based on data of an intensity of the contrast medium. The method further includes performing vessel segmentation based on the image and the threshold value for each of the cross sections.
US09424631B2 Device and method for calculating dynamic variation of object
There is provided a device for calculating dynamic variation of an object, comprising: an enhancement processing unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel determined to indicate a particle dispersed in the object in at least two (2) images generated for the object at different time points; and a calculating unit that calculates dynamic variation of the object based on correlation of the different two (2) images processed by the enhancement processing unit. Herein, the enhancement processing unit sets brightness of a pixel having brightness with a threshold value or higher for each of the images to reference brightness higher than the threshold value.
US09424627B2 System and method for high-performance client-side in-browser scaling of digital images
According to a preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a system and method for high-performance client-side in-browser scaling of digital images. The instant invention processes large digital images in a client-based web browser, prior to upload to a server. The system provides a tremendous decrease in time required for uploading of digital images for online use. The instant invention that is carried out on the client device is therewith decreasing processing time and bandwidth.
US09424624B2 System and method for graphics upscaling
Systems and methods for upscaling graphics resolution are provided. The systems and methods may selectively upscale graphics frames having a first resolution to a second resolution by various scaling methods. Depending on a variety of factors, at least a first mode of upscaling and a second mode of upscaling may provide for improved upscaling on a variety of graphics data.
US09424621B2 Centralised interactive graphical application server
This invention relates to a method of processing a plurality of graphical programs on a centralized computer system whereby the images produced by the programs are compressed and transmitted to remote processing devices where they are decompressed. Compression assistance data (CAD) is produced by inspecting instructions outputted by the programs and the CAD is then used in the compression step.
US09424619B2 Methods and systems for detecting frame tears
Methods and systems for detecting frame tears are described. As one example, a mobile device may include at least one camera, a sensor, a co-processor, and an application processor. The co-processor is configured to generate a digital image including image data from the at least one camera and sensor data from the sensor. The co-processor is further configured to embed a frame identifier corresponding to the digital image at least two corner pixels of the digital image. The application processor is configured to receive the digital image from the co-processor, determine a first value embedded in a first corner pixel of the digital image, and determined a second value embedded in a second corner pixel of the digital image. The application processor is also configured to provide an output indicative of a validity of the digital image based on a comparison between the first value and the second value.
US09424616B2 Customer identity verification
Customer identity verification. Receiving a request for verification of a customer's identity. The request includes fields of customer identity data. Requesting, from a first verification resource, verification of the customer's identity using the customer identity data. Receiving from the first verification resource, first verification results including at least one new field of customer identity data. The first verification results being insufficient to verify the customer's identity. Requesting, from a second verification resource, verification of the customer's identity using the at least one new field of customer identity data. Receiving, from the second verification resource, second verification results. For second verification results sufficient to verify the customer's identity, communicating to the customer a successful verification of the customer's identity.
US09424613B2 Method, system and apparatus for load shaving of a power grid and a tangible computer readable medium
The present disclosure provides a system, method and apparatus for load shaving of a power grid, and a tangible computer readable medium. The system may comprise at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer executable instructions. The at least one memory and computer executable instructions may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to profile behavior data for power customers to divide the power customers into at least one group; define, based on usage characteristic of each of the at least one group, a possible load shaving strategy for each of the at least one group; and perform load shaving analysis at least under constraint of the possible load shaving strategy for each of the at least one group, to provide a recommended load shaving strategy for each of the power customers.
US09424606B2 Enhanced claims settlement
An enhanced claims settlement apparatus may process insurance claims rapidly and accurately. The apparatus may first receive a notification of loss associated with an insured item (e.g., car, boat, truck, home, etc.). The apparatus may then apply various algorithms for using sensors to identify, analyze, and estimate the cost of damage associated with the insured item. The sensors that are a part of the enhanced claims settlement server may include cameras, tactile sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc. that may communicate data to a processor associated with the server. Once the data has been generated and analyzed by the sensors, a claim settlement file may be transmitted to a claimant.
US09424602B2 Order receiving system and order receiving method
The present invention provides an order receiving system includes an order receiving unit that receives an order for an item from a customer terminal; an information obtaining unit that obtains reference information for determining a condition for starting preparation for provision of the item; a start condition setting unit that sets the condition for starting preparation for provision of the item whose order has been received by the order receiving unit, based on a content of the order and the reference information; and a condition determining unit that determines, after receiving the order for the item by the order receiving unit, whether the condition determined by the start condition setting unit is satisfied. When the condition determining unit determines that the condition is satisfied, the transmitting unit of the wireless center module transmits a preparation start instruction signal to the wireless headset.
US09424601B2 Method, computer program product, and system for providing a sensor-based environment
Method, computer program product, and system to facilitate a checkout transaction for a person within an environment having a plurality of items. The method includes determining, using a visual sensor disposed within the environment, image information associated with the person. The method further includes analyzing the image information to identify one or more of the plurality of items that are selected by the person to be presented during the checkout transaction. In some cases, the method also includes determining whether the identified items belong to a predetermined class of items deemed to be “difficult.” The method further includes determining, based on the one or more identified items, a level of assistance to provide to the person during the checkout transaction.
US09424596B2 Method and system for implementing a virtual game
The computer-implemented virtual game-based method and system of the present invention allow participants to play incentive-based virtual games and accept or decline offered prizes. Declining an offered prize allows a participant to play for a more desirable price and accepting a prize prohibits the participant from accepting another prize for the duration of a temporal lock out period. Individual single use virtual games are issued electronically to participants requesting to play a virtual game. Prizes are offered by each single use virtual game in accordance with pre-generated single use virtual game tickets commanding the presentation of an offered prize or non-offered prize. Some embodiments of the present invention deliver branded advertising to consumers participating in game play. In these embodiments, virtual game elements comprise branded advertising impressions as part of the interactive virtual game.
US09424592B2 First party advertisement serving
Adservers with the ability to access advertiser cookies and vice versa when both are serving from the advertiser's domain are provided, thereby avoiding the overhead and delay in backend cookie synchronization efforts. Further, advertising cookie data can be gathered regardless of whether a user is browsing a publisher's web site with an advertisement served by an adserver, or browsing the advertiser's web site, because the cookies were previously set when the user visited the advertiser's web site in the context of a first-party cookie. Even if the user has configured his or her browser to limit the setting of third-party cookies, the cookies can still be read by the adserver. By making cookie and advertising data immediately available in real time to both the advertiser and the adserver, the solution also provides for instantaneous and accurate targeting of web advertising to allow an educated ad selection process by either party.
US09424591B2 Method and system for providing interactive advertisement customization
A system and method may include providing a media stream via a network, the media stream comprising one or more advertisement content segments, identifying aggregate information associated with a viewer, assigning the one or more advertisement content segments to one or more categories and a category score associated with the one or more categories, filtering the one or more advertisement content segments based at least in part on the one or more categories, the category score associated with the one or more categories and the aggregate information associated with the viewer, and outputting the filtered one or more advertisement content segments to the viewer.
US09424587B2 Advertisement supported video download
System and method for facilitating advertisements within viewed content. The advertisements may be banner advertisements or other advertisement. The advertisements may be included in such a manner that if a user skips or otherwise fast forwards through the advertisements, the user if force to skip through at least a portion of the viewed content.
US09424585B2 Coupon copy protection
A data distribution system which includes business groups, a client system and a main database system is described. Coupons and coupon data may be exchanged between the business groups, the client system and the main database system. Each coupon being exchanged may include one or more fraud protection features that can neither be altered nor tampered by users, consumers or retailers.
US09424579B2 System for group supervision
A system includes one or more computer systems configured to receive a plurality of information streams from a corresponding plurality of client systems that have a defined geographic position, analyze the information feeds, generate messages based on the analysis of the information feeds, generate positional information associated with the messages, and generate a set of informational depictions of the generated messages, with the informational depictions of the messages when rendered on a display device are rendered in juxtaposition with representations of the client systems according to the generated positional information.
US09424576B2 Methods and systems of creating a payment record with a cryptographically secure audit trail
A method of creating a secure audit trail for transactions may include, by a host electronic device, for each of a plurality of transactions, receiving, from a client electronic device, a transaction details document that summarizes the transaction, generating a document hash by performing a first cryptographic hash function on the received transaction details document, and identifying metadata associated with the transaction. The method may include generating an entry hash associated with the plurality of transactions by performing a second cryptographic hash function on at least the document hash of each transaction in the plurality of transactions and the metadata associated with each transaction in the plurality of transactions, and storing the entry hash in an entry in a transaction log database.
US09424575B2 User authentication by operating system-level token
Embodiments are directed to communicating an operating system-level token for user identification and/or authentication. Embodiments store a token at an operating system-level, wherein the token is accessible by an operating system running on the apparatus, and wherein the token comprises user identification information and/or user authentication information; and in response to an initiating event, initiate communication of the token to a second apparatus external to the apparatus. Some embodiments include initiation of an operation system-level instruction set for periodically, continuously, or in response to detecting a request, initiating communication of the token.
US09424574B2 Tokenization of user accounts for direct payment authorization channel
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a financial institution system maintained by a financial institution and for tokenization of user accounts for using a direct payment authorization channel, whereby a third party payment authorization network is avoided. Embodiments establish a direct channel of communication between the system and a merchant or a merchant network in communication with the merchant; wherein the direct channel of communication comprises a network communication channel without a third party payment authorization system; receive a token issued by the financial institution and associated with a user account associated with a customer of the financial institution; receive transaction data comprising an amount associated with a transaction between the customer of the financial institution and the merchant; and determine whether to authorize the transaction based on the received token and the received transaction data.
US09424572B2 Online banking digital wallet management
Embodiments are directed to digital wallet management. Embodiments initiate presentation of a digital wallet management interface, comprising initiating presentation of at least one digital wallet; and initiating presentation of at least one representation of at least one payment credential and at least one indication of which of the at least one digital wallets are associated with each of the at least one payment credentials.
US09424568B2 Financial-transaction notifications
To facilitate conducting a financial transaction via wireless communication between a portable electronic device (such as a smartphone) and another electronic device (such as a point-of-sale terminal), the portable electronic device may, after a final command is received from the other electronic device, determine a unique transaction identifier for the financial transaction. In particular, the final command may be specific to a payment applet, stored in a secure element in the portable electronic device, which conducts the financial transaction. The secure element may generate the unique transaction identifier based on financial-account information associated with the payment applet, which is communicated to the other electronic device. Moreover, the financial-account information may specify a financial account that is used to pay for the financial transaction. Next, the secure element may provide, to a processor in the portable electronic device, an end message for the financial transaction with the unique transaction identifier.
US09424562B2 Profile-based arrangements and methods for disparate network systems
Electronic transaction data sets are processed for a multitude of disparate transactions using a plurality of autonomous payment networks. A software-programmed computer circuit receives and processes electronic transaction data to identify and use electronic ID data to retrieve stored profile data. The computer circuit then uses the retrieved profile data to select one of a plurality of payment networks available to each of a buyer and seller involved in the transaction. Electronic payment is carried out using the selected payment networks.
US09424561B2 System for scheduling routing rules in a contact center based on forecasted and actual interaction load and staffing requirements
A system for scheduling resources and rules for routing includes a server connected to a network, a scheduling application executable from the server, and at least one programmable software agent for scheduling routing rules. The scheduling application receives statistics about forecast arrival rates for incoming interactions and current resource availability data and schedules resources and routing rules according to the forecast requirements the software agent propagating the portion of scheduling relative to the routing rules.
US09424556B2 Method and apparatus for linking multiple contact identifiers of an individual
Techniques for linking multiple contact identifiers of an individual include receiving first data that indicates contacts of a first user at first services. Contact identifiers for a different second user at second services are determined based at least in part on the contacts. Second data that indicates an association among the second user and the candidate contact identifiers is sent to the first user. In some embodiments on a client, techniques include determining to send first data that indicates contacts of a first user at first services; and receiving second data. The second data indicates an association among a different second user and candidate contact identifiers for the second user at second services based at least in part on the contacts. A prompt is presented for the first user to approve an association between the second user and a candidate contact identifier.
US09424553B2 Method for efficiently processing comments to records in a database, while avoiding replication/save conflicts
A system for processing comment contents associated with a parent document by providing a parent document user interface including a display object enabling a user to enter comment contents, creating a comment document associated with said parent document and storing said comment contents in said comment document, obtaining said comment contents from said comment document and displaying said comment contents within a region of said parent document user interface, copying, in response to detecting a change of state of said parent document from a state in which comments can be added to a state in which comments cannot be added, said comment contents from said comment document into said parent document, deleting said comment document, and presenting said comment contents after deleting said comment document.
US09424552B2 Managing website registrations
A method, system or computer usable program product for removing underutilized website account registrations including identifying a registration of a website account by a user on a data processing system, tracking access to the website account by the user, responsive to determining an underutilization of the website account, removing the registration of the website account.
US09424548B1 Translation of destination identifiers
Disclosed are various embodiments for translation of destination identifiers. In one embodiment, an input including a destination identifier is received. For example, the destination identifier may be affixed to the exterior of a shipment and scanned. The destination identifier is translated into a geographic address based at least in part on a stored mapping. The geographic address is then rendered in a user interface.
US09424545B1 Geospatial construction task management system and method
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing geospatial worksite management for large-scale construction projects are presented. In some embodiments, a computing device may receive a geographic map of a construction site and a construction schedule including multiple tasks. The computing device may display the geographic map and receive a selection of a geographic location on the geographic map. The computing device may determine that a first set of tasks is associated with the geographic location and may display an object associated with the first set of tasks overlaid on the geographic map at the determined geographic location. The object may represent a structure to be constructed at the construction site.
US09424536B2 System for business portfolio modeling and analysis
A system and method for facilitating integrating enterprise data from multiple sources for display via in a common interface. An example method includes displaying, via a first user interface display screen, a first set of one or more personnel icons representative of one or more enterprise personnel, and providing a first user option to select one or more of the personnel icons. A second user interface display screen may be displayed in response to or after selection of one or more of the personnel icons. The second user interface display screen presents a first type of data. The second user interface display screen further provides a second user option to select one or more user interface features associated with the first type of data, and to then trigger display of a third user interface display screen. The third user interface display presents a second type of data that is associated with the first type of data.
US09424532B1 Machine training and search engine for providing specialized cognitive healthcare apparatus
Training a machine to provide specialized health care apparatus may include receiving text describing a user's health condition via a user interface. Text may be converted into corresponding medical terms. A database may be searched for a list of health care providers treating health conditions associated with the medical terms. A machine learning model may be built that may include user preference for a predefined set of features associated with the user's health condition and health care provider preference for the predefined set of features in treating the user's health condition. The machine learning model may predict one or more of the health care providers that provide treatment for the user's health condition that matches the user's preference. The machine learning model may be retrained based on one or more of feedback from the user, the health care providers, and updated traits of the users and the health care providers.
US09424531B2 Machine learning system for assessing heart valves and surrounding cardiovascular tracts
A machine learning system for evaluating at least one characteristic of a heart valve, an inflow tract, an outflow tract or a combination thereof may include a training mode and a production mode. The training mode may be configured to train a computer and construct a transformation function to predict an unknown anatomical characteristic and/or an unknown physiological characteristic of a heart valve, inflow tract and/or outflow tract, using a known anatomical characteristic and/or a known physiological characteristic the heart valve, inflow tract and/or outflow tract. The production mode may be configured to use the transformation function to predict the unknown anatomical characteristic and/or the unknown physiological characteristic of the heart valve, inflow tract and/or outflow tract, based on the known anatomical characteristic and/or the known physiological characteristic of the heart valve, inflow tract and/or outflow tract.
US09424524B2 Extracting facts from unstructured text
A system and method for extracting facts from unstructured text files are disclosed. Embodiments of the disclosed system and method may receive a text file as input and perform extraction and disambiguation of entities, as well as extract topics and facts. The facts are extracted by comparing against a fact template store and associating facts with events or topics. The extracted facts are stored in a data store.
US09424522B2 Information processing systems, reasoning modules, and reasoning system design methods
Information processing systems, reasoning modules, and reasoning system design methods are described. According to one aspect, an information processing system includes working memory comprising a semantic graph which comprises a plurality of abstractions, wherein the abstractions individually include an individual which is defined according to an ontology and a reasoning system comprising a plurality of reasoning modules which are configured to process different abstractions of the semantic graph, wherein a first of the reasoning modules is configured to process a plurality of abstractions which include individuals of a first classification type of the ontology and a second of the reasoning modules is configured to process a plurality of abstractions which include individuals of a second classification type of the ontology, wherein the first and second classification types are different.
US09424521B2 Computer-implemented systems and methods of analyzing spatial, temporal and contextual elements of data for predictive decision-making
A computer-implemented system and method of analyzing spatial, temporal and contextual elements of data for predictive decision-making. The computer-implemented method includes receiving a first set of rules and receiving first data and second data including spatial, temporal and contextual elements. The computer-implemented method also includes identifying each rule of the first set for which the received first data and the received second data is a respective candidate. For the identified rules for which the received first data is a candidate, and for the identified rules for which the received second data is a candidate, the respective received first data and received second data is indexed by its temporal, spatial or contextual elements as a function of the identified rules. The computer-implemented method also includes identifying an event as satisfying an identified rule in memory using the indexed first and second data.
US09424518B1 Analytics scripting systems and methods
A method of determining a set of prescribed actions includes receiving a configuration script identifying a set of influencers, a set of performance indicators, a model type, a target time, and a prescription method. The method further includes deriving a model of the model type based on data associated with the set of influencers or with the set of performance indicators. The method also includes projecting a set of future influencer values associated with the set of influencers and projecting a set of future indicator values of the set of performance indicators at the target time using the model. The method can further include prescribing using the prescription method and based on projecting using the model a set of prescribed actions associated with the subset of actionable influencers. The method also includes displaying the set of prescribed actions.
US09424517B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for chemical hazard evaluation
A method of assessing chemical products includes: receiving input data including identification of a chemical substance at a processing device; evaluating a regulatory impact of the chemical substance based on at least one of global regulation data, regional regulation data and jurisdiction-specific regulation data, and outputting a regulatory impact assessment; evaluating potential hazards posed by the chemical substance based on available data related to characteristics of the chemical substance by comparing the characteristics to a plurality of criteria including environmental criteria, toxicity criteria related to effects on human health, and physical criteria related to hazards encountered during material transportation and handling, and outputting a chemical hazard assessment; and generating a chemical assessment report indicating potential impact due to use of the chemical substance, the chemical assessment report indicating chemical assessment results that include the regulatory impact assessment and the chemical hazard assessment.
US09424516B2 Comprehensive human computation framework
Technologies for a human computation framework suitable for answering common sense questions that are difficult for computers to answer but easy for humans to answer. The technologies support solving general common sense problems without a priori knowledge of the problems; support for determining whether an answer is from a bot or human so as to screen out spurious answers from bots; support for distilling answers collected from human users to ensure high quality solutions to the questions asked; and support for preventing malicious elements in or out of the system from attacking other system elements or contaminating the solutions produced by the system, and preventing users from being compensated without contributing answers.
US09424508B2 Wearable device with magnets having first and second polarities
A wearable device is provided with a wearable device structure. The wearable device has first end and second ends. A plurality of magnets is positioned at the first and second ends that provide for coupling of the first end to the second end of the wearable device. At least a portion of the magnets have a first section with a first polarity and a second portion with a second polarity. ID circuitry is at a surface or an interior of the wearable device structure.
US09424503B2 Structurally encoded component and method of manufacturing structurally encoded component
A structurally encoded component stores identification data and comprises a readable body. The readable body comprises at least one detectable element and indicia as a plurality of detectable elements disposed within the structurally encoded component. The indicia are discernible by at least one of x-ray, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, electromagnetic radiation, ultrasound, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.
US09424502B2 System for generating an incrementally completed security mark
A system for generating an incrementally completed security mark includes a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program. The computer program includes computer readable code for selecting a carrier object; computer readable code for selecting a number of steps in a workflow associated with the carrier object and a security level for each step in the workflow; computer readable code for determining available carrier object candidate areas to which to write information at each step in the workflow; and computer readable code for determining a number of bits to be input at each step in the workflow based upon the respective security levels and the available candidate areas. The system further includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory and to the computer-readable medium.
US09424501B2 Information processing device capable of outputting print data to print device, and control method thereof
In case of searching and outputting output information stored in a memory, it enables a user of the host computer to select the device of storing the output information, whereby the load in searching and outputting the information is reduced. To do so, when the host computer causes the printer to print the image based on the print data, the hard disk of the multifunctional device is selected from among the plural hard disks, as the storage destination to which the print data is stored and from which the stored print data can be searched and output. Then, the information representing the storage destination and the print data are transmitted to the printer so as to be printed, and the print data is also transmitted to the multifunctional device to be stored.
US09424500B2 Printing device and control method for printing device
A recording device includes a recording unit that performs a recording operation, a first storage unit that stores a first template associated with a recording form, a second storage unit that store a second template corresponding to the first template, and a recording control unit that takes the second template corresponding to the designated first template from the second storage unit and gets the recording unit to perform the recording operation by using the second template when a recording instruction containing data designating the first template is input.
US09424488B2 Applying a segmentation engine to different mappings of a digital image
An image processing method includes applying a segmentation engine to different mappings of a digital image, and generating primitives by tessellating non-congruent segments of the different mappings, where the primitives are defined by boundaries of the non-congruent segments in the different mappings. The method further includes classifying the primitives. Classifying the primitives is accomplished by assessing, using a plurality of classifiers, a quality of each segment of each mapping, and assigning a classification to each primitive based upon the assessing. Each of applying, generating and classifying is performed by a processor programmed by machine memory encoded with data.
US09424477B2 Handwritten character retrieval apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, a handwritten character retrieval apparatus is provided with an acquisition unit, a feature extraction unit, an segmentation unit, a attribute append unit and a retrieval unit. The acquisition unit acquires a handwritten character string in units of a stroke. The feature extraction unit extracts a first feature value unique to each of the strokes from the handwritten character string. The segmentation unit segments the strokes into a plurality of sets. The attribute append unit appends a second feature value based on the sets to each of the strokes. The retrieval unit executes retrieval based on the first feature value and the second feature value.
US09424474B2 Method for determining the length of a queue
Method for determining the length of a queue of objects in a predefined region having at least one entrance and at least one exit, in the course of which errors in the acquisition of objects entering or exiting the region are corrected during the determination of the length of the queue. In a first step, a specific entry signature E of each object entering the predefined region through the at least one entrance is determined with the aid of at least one first image sensor. Thereafter, the specific entry signature E is stored in an entry list of a calculation unit, each entry signature E being provided with an index value i reflecting the temporal sequence of the entries. In addition, a value L reflecting the length of the queue of the objects is increased by one. Furthermore, a specific exit signature A of an object exiting the predefined region through the at least one exit is determined with the aid of at least one second image sensor, the specific exit signature A being stored in an exit list of a calculation unit as exit signature A0 with index value j=0. The index value of exit signatures Aj already present in the exit list is respectively increased by one, and exit signatures Aj which have an index value j that is greater than a predeterminable value M are deleted from the exit list. Subsequently, similarity values Cn for −N≦n≦+N are calculated with the aid of the calculation unit, N being a predeterminable value which defines a specific number N of entry signatures of objects which, before or after the object with the entry signature EL which next exits the predefined region on the basis of the length of the queue L, will exit or have already exited the predefined region. In the process, similarity metrics Umn are respectively calculated between an exit signature Am and an entry signature EL+m+n, M running from 0 to M, and added to Cn. The value L is decremented by the value one. Subsequently, the similarity values Cn are compared with the similarity value C0. The value L is corrected by adding the index value x given the presence of a value Cx with index value n=x that indicates a higher similarity than the similarity value C0.
US09424472B2 Augmented reality information system
In various example embodiments, a system and method for providing information in an augmented reality display are provided. In example embodiments, a continuous stream of image data captured by a client device is received. An object within the continuous stream of image data is identified. Based on an identification of the object from the continuous stream of image data, a search for information related to the object is performed. A result is determined by filtering the information related to the object. The result is formatted to be displayed over a real-time image of the object on the client device.
US09424471B2 Enhanced information for viewer-selected video object
The user of an Internet-enabled CE device such as a TV can select an object in a video presented on the display of the CE device by either touch sensitive screen or input device. The processor of the CE device can then determine the boundaries of the object, identify it using face/image recognition software, search for information/websites related to the object, and present those information/websites to the viewer on the display screen.
US09424469B2 Differing region detection system and differing region detection method
The present invention enables detection of a local differing region between images. Inter-image difference information indicating a difference in feature amounts for each subregion between first and second images is generated based on a first feature amount vector that is a set of feature amounts respectively corresponding to a plurality of subregions in the first image and a second feature amount vector that is a set of feature amounts respectively corresponding to a plurality of subregions in the second image, a differing region that is an image region that differs between the first and second images is detected based on differences in the respective subregions indicated by the inter-image difference information, and detection information that indicates a result of the detection is outputted.
US09424465B2 Device, system and method for identifying sections of documents
A method for identifying sections of contracts. This method works well with documents that originated from scanned images, i.e., documents that could possibly include noise and misleading cues.
US09424464B2 Monitoring system, monitoring method, monitoring program, and recording medium in which monitoring program is recorded
A monitoring system for monitoring a target is described. The monitoring system extracts features of a person's face from an image obtained from the face of the person and determines whether the person's face matches a person included in a list containing facial features of multiple individuals.
US09424463B2 System and method for eye alignment in video
A system for image manipulation enables an improved video conferencing experience. The system includes a camera; a display screen adjacent to the camera; a processor coupled to the camera and the display screen; and a memory coupled to the processor. Instructions executable by the processor enable receiving a source image from the camera and generating a synthetic image based upon the source image. The synthetic image corresponds to a view of a virtual camera located at the display screen.
US09424461B1 Object recognition for three-dimensional bodies
Various embodiments utilize two-dimensional (“2D”) and three-dimensional (“3D”) object features for purposes such as object recognition and/or image matching. For example, a user can capture an image (e.g., still images or video) of an object and can receive information about items that are determined to match the object. For example, the image can be analyzed to detect visual features (e.g., corners, edges, etc.) of the object and the detected visual features can be combined to generate a combined visual feature vector which can be used for object recognition, image matching, or other such purposes. Other approaches utilize the image to generate a 3D model of the object represented in the image, which can be used to determine at least one object or types of objects that match the object represented in the image.
US09424455B2 Vehicle information inspecting apparatus
A vehicle information inspecting apparatus installed on a vehicle body moving line for moving a vehicle body on which a vehicle identification number (VIN) is carved and a barcode is attached, and for recognizing and inspecting the barcode and the VIN, includes: an installation frame installed on the vehicle body moving line in a workplace, a first moving unit installed in an upper portion of the installation frame and allowing a moving block to move in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle body, a second moving unit installed at one side of the moving block and allowing a moving rod to move in upward and downward directions on the installation frame, and a measure module photographing and recognizing the barcode or the VIN and installed on a lower end of the moving rod so as to transmit the recognized VIN or the recognized barcode to a controller.
US09424452B2 Radio frequency identification system for use with an assembly line
A radio frequency identification system, and method of operation thereof, provides: a sensor for sensing the absence or presence of a radio frequency identification transponder at the radio frequency identification system; a supply system connected to the sensor for supplying the radio frequency identification transponder to the radio frequency identification system in the absence of the radio frequency identification transponder at the radio frequency identification system; and a programmer connected to the sensor for writing transponder content to the radio frequency identification transponder at the radio frequency identification system in the presence of the radio frequency identification transponder at the radio frequency identification system.
US09424449B2 RFID system and a method for manipulating passive RFID tags
A method, comprising: sending, by a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, an identification request to an RFID tag; wherein the RFID tag is positioned within a coverage area of the RFID tag; searching, by the RFID reader, a lack of response from the RFID tag to the identification request during a silent period that ranges between a fraction of a second and a minute; and controlling, by the RFID reader and in response to a detection of the lack of response, a circuit that differs from the RFID reader and the RFID tag.
US09424447B2 RFID tag facility with access to a sensor
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a stand-alone RFID sensor apparatus comprising a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag configured to read sensor information from a sensor, the passive RFID tag comprising an RF network node and a communication facility, the RF network node comprising (i) an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID interrogation signal, (ii) a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, (iii) a memory store, and (iv) a power management block for managing power requirements of the RFID sensor apparatus, and the communications facility linking the sensor and the passive RFID tag, wherein the data processing and controller block manages communication of the sensor information through the communications facility.
US09424439B2 Secure data synchronization
Techniques for secure data synchronization are described. In one or more implementations, techniques may be employed to conserve high cost data storage by storing larger portions of encrypted data in low cost storage, while storing relatively smaller encryption keys in higher cost storage. A device that is granted access to the encryption keys can retrieve the encrypted data from the low cost storage and use the encryption keys to decrypt the encrypted data.
US09424437B1 Systems and methods for providing file access in a hybrid cloud storage system
A method for providing access to objects associated with a particular client in a cloud storage system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of establishing a connection with a user, providing a client namespace associated with the client to the user, where the client namespace represents objects stored on the cloud storage system and objects stored on a private storage system apart from the cloud storage system, receiving a request from the user to access an object stored on the private storage system, and providing information to the user to facilitate access to the object stored on the private storage system by said user. Other systems and methods are also disclosed. Important advantages of the present invention are facilitated by separating the logic for user access (control plane) from the actual storage (Storage plane). Private file system access can still be managed from the cloud, while keeping the client data private.
US09424432B2 Systems and methods for secure and persistent retention of sensitive information
An information processing system provisions a client account for a user to enable a client computer associated with the user to store information in an elastic storage system and to prohibit the client computer, the information processing system, and the elastic storage system from altering and from deleting the stored information during an authorized retention period. Data messages are received from one or more client computers and include information that is required to be stored for the authorized retention period. That information is transmitted via one or more data communications networks to the elastic storage system for storage so that the stored information is non-rewriteable and non-erasable during the authorized retention period. The secure data center receives the retrieved copy and provides it to the user device. The elastic storage system permits deletion, modification, or destruction of the stored information only when a trusted independent third party having predetermined authentication information associated with the client account provides the predetermined authentication information to the elastic storage system.
US09424431B2 Protecting operating system configuration values using a policy identifying operating system configuration settings
In a pre-operating system environment on a device prior to loading and running an operating system on the device, a policy identifying configuration settings for the operating system is obtained. The operating system itself is prevented from changing this policy, but the policy can be changed under certain circumstances by components of the pre-operating system environment. The policy is compared to configuration values used by the operating system, and the operating system is allowed to boot with the configuration values if the configuration values satisfy the policy. However, if the configuration values do not satisfy the policy, then a responsive action is taken.
US09424427B1 Anti-rootkit systems and methods
According to one aspect, a dynamic binary instrumentation (DBI) framework is used to identify rootkits and disable their malicious functionality. A user-mode or kernel-mode anti-rootkit (ARK) engine monitors the execution of a program running on a host machine in user more or kernel mode. Upon encountering calls to certain functions that may be used by rootkits to subvert system functionality (e.g. system calls used to manage the system registry, storage/disk, processes/threads, and/or network communications), the anti-rootkit engine executes translated versions of the functions in an isolated environment and continues execution of the program under analysis using the results of the translated code execution. The translated code execution replaces the execution of original code which may or may not have been subverted by a rootkit. Isolating the stack and registers of the isolated environment impedes detection of the monitoring process by rootkits.
US09424423B2 Static security analysis using a hybrid representation of string values
Methods for creating a hybrid string representations include receiving string information as input; parsing the string information to produce one or more string components; determining string components that may be represented concretely by comparing the one or more components to a set of known concretizations; abstracting all string components that could not be represented concretely; and creating a hybrid string representation that includes at least one concrete string component and at least one abstracted string component.
US09424420B2 Restricting application binary interfaces
Systems and methods for restricting application binary interfaces. An example method may comprise: initializing, by a process spawned by a kernel of an operating system running on a computer system, a system call filter inhibiting at least one type of application binary interface (ABI) calls; receiving a system call issued by a user space program executed by the computer system; intercepting the system call by the system call filter; determining that the system call is disabled by the system call filter; and performing a pre-determined action with respect to the system call.
US09424418B2 Information processing device and method for switching password input mode
The present invention discloses an information processing device and the switching method for the password input mode thereof. The information processing device includes a usage scene monitoring unit configured to monitor the usage scene or the usage environment of the information processing device and a password input switching unit, configured to judge the usage scene or the usage environment of the information processing device 1 based on the output of the usage scene monitoring unit and to determine whether the password input mode should be switched based on the judgment result.
US09424414B1 Inactive non-blocking automated agent detection
Online retailers may operate one or more services configured to detect requests generated by automated agents. A CAPTCHA may be transmitted in response to requests generated by automated agents. The CAPTCHAs may be included in a modal pop-up box configured to be displayed by a client application displaying a webpage to a customer of the online retailer. Furthermore, the CAPTCHAs included in the modal pop-up box may be rendered inactive and caused not to be displayed by client application executing the webpage. Rendering the CAPTCHAs inactive may provide an additional signal which may be sued to update one or more automated agent detection models.
US09424412B1 Authenticating customers using biometrics
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for authenticating customers using biometrics are presented. In some embodiments, a computing platform may receive, from an interactive voice response server, an inbound call notification associated with a telephone call received from a mobile device. Subsequently, the computing platform may determine a device identifier of the mobile device and a customer identifier corresponding to a user of the mobile device. The computing platform then may load a customer authentication profile. Subsequently, the computing platform may generate a biometric authentication prompt for authenticating the user of the mobile device and may cause the biometric authentication prompt to be sent to the mobile device. Thereafter, the computing platform may receive, from the mobile device, a validation message. In response to receiving the validation message, the computing platform may generate an authentication message. Subsequently, the computing platform may send the authentication message to the interactive voice response server.
US09424411B2 Athentication of device users by gaze
A method includes obtaining a gaze feature of a user of a device, wherein the device has already been unlocked using a second feature, the gaze feature being based on images of a pupil relative to a display screen of the device, comparing the obtained gaze feature to known gaze features of an authorized user of the device, and determining whether or not the user is authorized to use the device based on the comparison.
US09424408B2 Utilizing location information to minimize user interaction required for authentication on a device
A system and a method are disclosed for authenticating a user of a mobile computing device. Information is received describing the location of the mobile computing device. The information can include the current location of the device or a current type of user activity associated with a location. A current timeout length is determined based on this information. If the mobile computing device has remained idle for a time period equal to the current timeout length, the user of the mobile computing device is authenticated.
US09424406B2 Asset protection based on redundantly associated trusted entitlement verification
A system and method of managing a plurality of assets by associating a smart card with a compute subsystem by installing a database on the smart card and embedding an identifier of the compute subsystem. The system and method, in turn, may receive a request to access an asset of a compute subsystem; verify that a feature of the database is enabled in response to the request, the feature corresponding to the asset; and grant the access to access the asset upon the verifying of the feature.
US09424399B2 Availability of permission models in roaming environments
A request for a digital license associated with a software product is received from a device. The request includes a user ID of a user of the device, with the digital license having been generated in response to a request to activate the software product with a product key. A check is made as to whether a digital license bound to the user ID is available, and also whether the digital license can be returned to the device in accordance with the terms of the digital license. The digital license is returned if the digital license can be returned to the device in accordance with the terms (regardless of whether the device is a same device from which the product key was activated), and otherwise is not returned. The digital license can be removed from the device in accordance with the terms of the digital license.
US09424398B1 Workflows for defining a sequence for an analytical instrument
Methods, systems and GUIs for defining a sequence of analyzes for an analytical instrument using a workflow are described. A method includes receiving user inputs including workflow parameters for defining the sequence, and automatically defining the sequence for the analytical instrument based on the workflow parameters, including creating rules for the sequence. The rules are persistent for subsequent use of the sequence. The rules are defined by the user, e.g., an administrator, who creates or edits the workflow. The administrator can leave some choices available to operators who run the workflow, or can lock selections down.
US09424397B2 Sports monitoring system using GPS with location beacon correction
Apparatus, systems, and methods for monitoring the performance of an individual during a fitness activity are disclosed. A method of monitoring the performance of a participant engaged in a fitness activity includes receiving a GPS signal during the fitness activity at a portable fitness device used by the participant; determining participant performance data based on the received GPS signal; at a stationary position beacon, transmitting location data associated with the location of the stationary position beacon; at a mobile participant receiver supported by the participant, receiving the location data from the stationary position beacon; and modifying the participant performance data based on the data received from the stationary position beacon.
US09424396B2 Computational systems and methods for monitoring medication events
Computer-based systems and computer-implemented methods are described for monitoring medication events for an individual. Computer-based systems include systems for monitoring medication events relating to an individual, including: circuitry for analyzing data for an identifier of a first medication event for an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute of an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute relating to a medication during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one feature of visual information and at least one feature of non-visual information relating to the individual during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the received data for a time associated with the first medication event; circuitry for determining a compliance likelihood for the first medication event based on the analyzes of the received data; and circuitry for indicating the determined compliance likelihood.
US09424394B2 Method and system for generating personalized health information display
An approach for providing personalized information regarding one or more physiological conditions associated with a user is described. A personal health platform calculates a minimum value, a maximum value, or a combination thereof for a physiological condition of a user. The personal health platform senses a measured value for the physiological condition from the user. The personal health platform further presents a user interface depicting the measured value relative to the minimum value, the maximum value, a historical measured value for the user, or a combination thereof, wherein the user interface depicts the measured value, the minimum value, the maximum value, or a combination thereof on one or more ring-based graphical elements, and wherein the one or more ring-based graphical elements correspond to a measurement range for the physiological condition.
US09424393B2 Method, apparatus, and system for reading, processing, presenting, and/or storing electronic medical record information
A method for accessing, processing, presenting, and/or storing electronic medical record (EMR) information on a touch-sensitive display includes reading EMR information, displaying at least a portion of the EMR information on a touch-sensitive sliding timeline, detecting finger swipe or similar gestures, and scrolling the sliding timeline so that a different portion of the EMR information is displayed chronologically on the touch-sensitive sliding timeline. The resolution of the timeline can be expanded or collapsed in response to pinch gestures. The timeline is divided into a columns, each column including icons representing medical related events. A second timeline having a different time resolution from the first timeline is used for navigating the medical related events. Different levels of detail regarding the medical related events can be viewed in different detail panes. An EMR access device and system are also disclosed, which are configured to access and present EMR information.
US09424386B2 Generating place and route abstracts
Generating place and route abstracts, including: for each of a plurality of cells, generating a wire diagram; for each generated wire diagram, generating, in dependence upon a cell architecture layout, a cell architecture description; for each cell architecture description: generating, in dependence upon the wire diagrams and the cell architecture descriptions, a blockage map specifying locations where the placement of cells or routing structures is prohibited; and generating, in dependence upon the blockage maps and one or more design rules, a library exchange format (‘LEF’) abstract.
US09424380B2 Augmented simulation method for waveform propagation in delay calculation
A system and a method are disclosed for performing static timing analysis. Information describing a distorted input waveform is received by a static timing analyzer. A transition time of the distorted input waveform is determined. Based on the determined input transition time a nominal input waveform and a corresponding nominal output waveform are received. An input waveform distortion is computed based on the nominal input waveform and the distorted input waveform. An output waveform distortion is computed based on an augmented circuit and the input waveform distortion. A distorted output waveform is computed based on the nominal output waveform and the output waveform distortion. The waveforms are represented using the distortion values which are smaller than the actual waveform values, thereby allowing for compact representation. A time-shifted version of an uncoupled input waveform is used to perform conservative timing analysis of circuits that accounts for crosstalk in the circuit.
US09424378B2 Simulation using coupling constraints
Methods for model simulation and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes receiving a simulation model in the data processing system, the simulation model including at least one master joint connected to at least one slave joint by a coupling, the master joint having a rigid body master attachment and the slave joint having a rigid body slave attachment. The method includes identifying a master axis of the master attachment and a slave axis of the slave attachment. The method includes making a motor determination as to whether the master axis or the slave axis has a motor and making a cross-base determination. The method includes making a constraint determination of which bodies to constrain based on the motor determination and the cross-base determination, storing constraints according to the constraint determination, and executing the simulation model according to the constraint determination.
US09424377B2 Simulation method and simulation device
A state of a particle which was in a liquid state at a first time is calculated at a second time after the first time when a continuum including a liquid and a solid is represented by the plurality of particles. It is determined whether the particle has become a first solid particle at the second time. The first solid particle and all particles belonging to a solid which includes a second solid particle arranged in a predetermined range from the first solid particle are defined as particles belonging to the same solid when it is determined that the particle which was in the liquid state at the first time has become the first solid particle at the second time. The state of each of the particles belonging to the same solid is calculated using an equation of motion of a rigid body.
US09424376B2 Enhanced neutronics systems
Illustrative embodiments provide for the operation and simulation of the operation of fission reactors, including the movement of materials within reactors. Illustrative embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, including modular nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and reactor modules, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and modules, methods of operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, methods of simulating operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, and the like.
US09424375B2 Method and system of using standardized structural components
A method and system disclosed herein provides generating an architectural diagram describing an architectural layout of a building, wherein one or more walls of the building are designated as standardized structural walls, automatically positioning each of the standardized structural walls to a geometric grid, and mapping (or “placing”), using a computer, one or more of a plurality of standardized structural components, including standardized panels, standardized columns, and standardized trusses to coordinates of the geometric grid.
US09424374B2 Integrated construction portal
Method and system disclosed herein provides generating a three-dimensional construction grid based on a data file generated by an architectural software, wherein the three-dimensional grid includes three-dimensional position information of various structural building components; displaying the three-dimensional construction grid using a display device of a computing device; receiving information of various non-structural building components, the information including location of the non-structural building components on the three-dimensional grid; associating the non-structural building components to one or more of the structural components of the three-dimensional grid; and automatically generating a plurality of specifications for the non-structural building components.
US09424372B1 System and method for data path handling, shot count minimization, and proximity effects correction related to mask writing process
A system and method for mask data preparation (MDP) uses pixel processing algorithms running on parallel processing platforms such as central processing units (CPUs) and graphical processing units (GPUs). Proximity effects correlation, dose, and bias corrections are performed on a pixel basis. In some embodiments, striping of a decorated database in parallel using multiple graphic processors is performed. While performing a first light path simulation for a first stripe for a mask, a second light path simulation is performed for a second stripe for the mask. Using a result of the striping and first and second light path simulations, dose adjustment during a mask processing on a pixel of the mask is performed.
US09424371B2 Click to accept as built modeling
A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to augment an as-built model. A CAD drawing of a project as well as a digital representation of a physical implementation of the project are obtained. A relationship that maps the digital representation to the CAD drawing is defined/established. A component of the digital representation is identified based on the relationship (e.g., and a database/catalog). Information about the identified component is transmitted to and displayed on a computer (e.g., a mobile device).
US09424369B2 Method and system for storing and retrieving tags
Storing and retrieving tags can include determining a quantitative weighting factor for each tag, determining a reputation weighting factor for each tag, determining a context weighing factor for each tag, determining an expiry weighting factor for each tag, and determining, using a server, an overall weighting factor for each tag by calculating an average of the weighting factors. The relevance of each tag can be visually reflected in the tag cloud based on the overall weighting factor.
US09424368B2 Storing and retrieving tags
Storing and retrieving tags can include determining a quantitative weighting factor for each tag, determining a reputation weighting factor for each tag, determining a context weighing factor for each tag, determining an expiry weighting factor for each tag, and determining, using a server, an overall weighting factor for each tag by calculating an average of the weighting factors. The relevance of each tag can be visually reflected in a tag cloud based on the overall weighting factor.
US09424367B2 Interactive visualization of trending data
In embodiments of interactive visualization of trending data, a data visualization interface includes a charting region to display data in one of multiple chart formats, and the data visualization interface further includes data cards, each selectable to initiate a display of the data in one of the multiple chart formats. A data charting application is implemented to receive a request to display the data visualization interface at a client device, receive a user input selecting a data card to chart the data in a chart format associated with the data card, obtain the data that correlates to the selected data card from a database, and initiate a display of the data in the charting region of the data visualization interface in the chart format based on the selected data card.
US09424366B1 Reducing power consumption in ternary content addressable memory (TCAM)
The present disclosure describes systems and techniques relating to accessing data stored in Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM). According to an aspect of the described systems and techniques, a device includes: several blocks of TCAM (Ternary Content Addressable Memory); a hash RAM (Random Access Memory); and processor electronics configured to pre-process control records to (i) identify a subset of bits of the control records, giving priority to bits with no X value, (ii) load the hash RAM based on the identified subset of the bits to be used for hashing of search records to find locations in the several blocks of TCAM, and (iii) order the control records in the several blocks of TCAM in accordance with the identified subset of the bits.
US09424361B2 Information communication method and information communication apparatus
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a portable terminal obtains an address for accessing a server from a signage terminal. The portable terminal generates a card for displaying a message in the signage terminal. The portable terminal transmits the card to the server. The signage terminal displays the card received from the server.
US09424360B2 Ranking events
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for ranking events. One of the methods includes receiving data identifying a physical location; obtaining data identifying a plurality of events occurring in the physical location during a particular time period; computing a respective plurality of signal scores for each of the events, wherein computing the respective plurality of signal scores for each of the events comprises computing a first signal score for each of the events based at least in part on a count of Internet sites that include at least one mention of the event; computing a respective popularity score for each of the plurality of events by combining the respective plurality of signal scores for the event; and generating a ranking of events occurring in the physical location during the particular time period based at least in part on the popularity scores.
US09424359B1 Typeahead using messages of a messaging platform
A method and system for facilitating typeahead. The method can include: identifying a set of topics and/or connected accounts; storing, based on one or more signals associated with a user account, a portion of the topics and/or connected accounts in a cache; and using the cache to provide typeahead suggestions to a client in response to a request associated with the user account.
US09424358B2 Searching and classifying information about geographic objects within a defined area of an electronic map
Provided are a method, computer program product and system for classifying and displaying information. A boundary within an electronic map is determined, based on a drawn closed shape. At least one geographic object, at least partially within the boundary, is identified. Each geographic object is representable by one or more geographic coordinates. A search is performed, on an external data source, for unstructured information associated with the at least one geographic object and a plurality of search results are received. The plurality of search results are classified and displayed according to a user topic of interest.
US09424357B1 Predictive page loading based on text entry and search term suggestions
Disclosed are various embodiments for predictive page loading. Text entered by a user into a search query form is captured. If an evaluation of the size of the captured text or identity of characters in the captured text in accordance with a confidence criteria indicates that the confidence criteria is met, a speculative search query is provided to a server. The speculative search query includes a selected suggested search term. A received plurality of speculative search results is rendered in a hidden portion of a browser window. In response to receiving a user instruction to execute a committed search query that includes the at least one selected suggested search term, at least a portion of the received plurality of speculative search results is rendered in a visible portion of the browser window.
US09424355B2 Systems and methods for coordinated content distribution
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention coordinate the distribution of content by multiple users on a variety of distribution platforms. One embodiment includes a coordination server system, where the coordination server system is configured to query a coordination database, wherein the coordination database includes: a source account; a repeater account including access information enabling access via a distribution platform to a user account maintained by the distribution platform; content associated with the source account; a distribution rule associated with the content; wherein the coordination server system is configured to: associate uploaded content with the source account in the coordination database; and post the content in a user account associated with the repeater account via a distribution platform using access information associated with a repeater account according to the distribution rule.
US09424354B2 Providing crowdsourced answers to information needs presented by search engine and social networking application users
Technologies pertaining to generating crowd-sourced answers are described herein. A text string is received, and the text string is parsed to determine if the text string represents an information need that is desirably answered by a collective of crowd workers. When it is determined that the information need is desirably answered by the collective of crowd workers, a query or question that represents the information need is provided to a first plurality of crowd workers, who generate proposed answers for the information need. The proposed answers are provided to a second plurality of crowd workers, who vote on the proposed answers. An answer to the information need is output based upon responses of the crowd workers.
US09424349B2 Restoring program information for clips of broadcast programs shared online
To restore context information about a clip that was sampled from a broadcast program, the clip is identified by matching a digital fingerprint of the clip against a database of known digital fingerprints taken from broadcast programs. If the clip can be identified, it is then associated with information about the matching broadcast program. The loss of context data about the clip obtained from a broadcast program is thus remedied, enabling media content available online to be more useable for a variety of purposes, such as media searching, automatic broadcast attribution, and targeting advertisements.
US09424348B1 Sensor-driven audio playback modification
Sensor data generated by one or more sensors associated with a digital content playback device can be used to identify that a modification to a current audio content item being supplied to a user by the digital content playback device is indicated. The current audio content item can be modified accordingly. Methods, systems, articles of manufacture and the like are also described.
US09424345B1 Contextual content distribution
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for distributing content based on context are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes identifying, in a single resource, multiple different content item slots that are available for presentation of multiple different content items. A determination is made that a first content item slot is located in a first portion of the single resource, and that a second content item slot is located in a second different portion of the resource. A first content item is selected for presentation in the first content item slot based on terms that correspond to a first topic of the first portion of the resource. A second content item is selected for presentation in the second content item slot based on terms that correspond to a second topic of the second portion of the resource.
US09424343B2 Management of an electronic calendar using short message service (SMS)
Approaches are provided for managing an electronic calendar using short message service (SMS). Specifically, an approach is provided that is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable to receive an SMS text message including an SMS command to manage an electronic calendar with at least one pre-existing event. The SMS command includes an instruction to modify the at least one pre-existing event. The programming instructions are further operable to execute the SMS command such that the at least one pre-existing event is modified.
US09424342B1 Geographically local query detection
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting local search queries. In one aspect, a method includes accessing a search query log that includes data specifying search queries corresponding to particular geographic regions and for at least one of the search queries corresponding to the particular geographic region generating a geo-query count that represents a total number of times that the search query was received over a specified period. The geo-query count is compared to a corresponding expected query count for the search query, where the expected query count is a baseline number of times that the query is expected to be received. In response to determining that the search query has a geo-query count that exceeds the corresponding expected query count by at least a threshold amount, the particular query is classified as a local query for the particular geographic region.
US09424341B2 Information management systems and methods
Management of information includes analyzing an inquiry with a language processor, and generating a keyword associated with the inquiry based on the analysis. Further, it may be determined whether an inquiry with the generated keyword previously has been received and stored in a memory and, when it is determined that such an inquiry previously has been received, the inquiry is retrieved from the memory. A recipient of the inquiry is assigned based on an inputted recipient or the keyword, and a recipient of an answer to the inquiry is designated. The inquiry is transmitted to the assigned recipient of the inquiry. An answer to the inquiry is received, the inquiry is marked as answered, and the answer is transmitted to the designated recipient of the answer. The inquiry, the keyword associated with the inquiry, and the answer to the inquiry are stored in the memory.
US09424339B2 Systems and methods utilizing a search engine
Embodiments of the invention form an information set from the current set of index information available by the operations of the Pre-Search and RunTime Search components of the search engine. A search request that contains search terms and/or other search criteria (e.g. date or file type) is entered by a user through an input interface. The search terms and the information set are worked through the search engine modules to provide the actual results sought by the user. These results are provided to the user via a Return Interface. Embodiments involve a search engine that forms a numeric code index that includes grammar embedded rules from a plurality of documents, converts a search request into the same format as the index, and then compares the index and the search request to form the search results.
US09424337B2 Number of clusters estimation
A method of determining a number of clusters for a dataset is provided. Centroid locations for a defined number of clusters are determined using a clustering algorithm. Boundaries for each of the defined clusters are defined. A reference distribution that includes a plurality of data points is created. The plurality of data points are within the defined boundary of at least one cluster of the defined clusters. Second centroid locations for the defined number of clusters are determined using the clustering algorithm and the reference distribution. A gap statistic for the defined number of clusters based on a comparison between a first residual sum of squares and a second residual sum of squares is computed. The processing is repeated for a next number of clusters to create. An estimated best number of clusters for the received data is determined by comparing the gap statistic computed for each iteration of the number of clusters.
US09424335B2 Multiple phase content ingest
Content ingest can comprise the storage of content and the logging of the descriptive and technical metadata necessary to identify and locate the content. The methods and systems provided herein relate to content ingest utilizing multiple phase processing to account for both standard and non-standard metadata.
US09424333B1 Systems and user interfaces for dynamic and interactive report generation and editing based on automatic traversal of complex data structures
Various systems and methods are provided for accessing and traversing one or more complex data structures and generating a functional user interface that can enable non-technical users to quickly and dynamically edit and generate detailed reports. The user interfaces are interactive such that a user may make selections, provide inputs, and/or manipulate outputs. In response to various user inputs, the system automatically accesses and traverses complex data structures (including, for example, a mathematical graph having nodes and edges), calculates complex data based on the traversals, displays the calculated complex data to the user, and/or enters the calculated complex data into the reports. The reports may be automatically updated based on a context selected by the user, and the system may automatically publish reports in multiple contexts.
US09424332B2 Available-to-promise on an in-memory column store
A system and method of determining an earliest delivery date for a demand on the basis of a fact table stored in a database, where the demand indicates both a desired date and a desired quantity for items from a stock, where a fact time series is comprised by and/or deducible from the fact table, and where the fact time series comprises fact tuples indicating both a fact date and a change in quantity of stock items that occurred on this fact date. The method includes generating an aggregated time series from the fact time series by defining and/or obtaining discrete time intervals, and generating, for at least one discrete time interval, an aggregated tuple indicating both its corresponding discrete time interval and the aggregated change in quantity of stock items that occurred in its corresponding discrete time interval.
US09424330B2 Database sharding by shard levels
A system and a method are disclosed for identifying a particular database shard associated with a given user. Each user is assigned a shard level that corresponds to a set of database shards that were active within a database management system when the user first joined the data management system. When a data request associated with a given user is received, the shard level assigned to the user identifies the database shard in the database management system that stores data associated with the user. The data request is thus processed using the identified database shard.
US09424328B2 Techniques for administering comingled content items
Techniques for assisting owners to remotely administer their digital content items stored at non-owners' personal computing devices. The techniques involve identifying owned content items from among content items stored in a synchronization replica that is synchronized with synchronization replicas at the non-owners' personal computing devices. The techniques further involve allowing owners to remotely perform certain administrative actions on owned content items. For example, in response to a command initiated at an owner's personal computing device, a network signal or signals can be sent to a synchronization agent installed on the non-owners' personal computing devices to automatically remove all owned content items from the synchronization replicas at the non-owners' personal computing devices. For example, the generation and sending of such signal can be performed by an online content item storage and synchronization service that synchronizes a server-stored synchronization replica with the synchronization replicas at the non-owners' personal computing devices.
US09424327B2 Instruction execution that broadcasts and masks data values at different levels of granularity
An apparatus is described that includes an execution unit to execute a first instruction and a second instruction. The execution unit includes input register space to store a first data structure to be replicated when executing the first instruction and to store a second data structure to be replicated when executing the second instruction. The first and second data structures are both packed data structures. Data values of the first packed data structure are twice as large as data values of the second packed data structure. The execution unit also includes replication logic circuitry to replicate the first data structure when executing the first instruction to create a first replication data structure, and, to replicate the second data structure when executing the second data instruction to create a second replication data structure. The execution unit also includes masking logic circuitry to mask the first replication data structure at a first granularity and mask the second replication data structure at a second granularity. The second granularity is twice as fine as the first granularity.
US09424326B2 Writing data avoiding write conflicts in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a by a first device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) sending a set of write revision requests to storage units of the DSN. The method continues with one of the storage units generating a write revision response regarding a potential write conflict issue. The method continues with the first device receiving the write revision responses to produce a set of received write revision responses and interpreting the set of received write revision responses to determine whether a write conflict issue exists. When the write conflict issue exists, the method continues with the first device issuing a set of write roll back requests to the storage units. When the write conflict issue does not exist, the method continues with the first device issuing a set of next phase write requests to the storage units regarding storing revised encoded data slices.
US09424325B2 Recording medium, distribution controlling method, and information processing device
A computer acquires a particular entry(ies) from a database that includes plural entries for each of which a key is determined; stores the particular entry(ies) into a memory provided in the computer and used as one of memories that store the database in a distributed manner; and associates a particular piece of communication endpoint information with a network interface of the computer. Each key for each particular entry belongs to a particular subset among mutually disjoint subsets of a domain of keys. The particular piece of the communication endpoint information is one of a predetermined number of pieces of the communication endpoint information and is associated with the particular subset. Each piece of the communication endpoint information logically identifies one communication endpoint, is dynamically associated with one network interface which provides access to one of the memories, and is statically associated with one of the subsets.
US09424323B2 Application tier data dictionary
A method of tracking dependencies in an application file, including analyzing the application file to identify at least one dependency in the application file, extracting information from the application file related to the dependency to allow identification of an entity to which the application file has a dependency from the information, and storing the dependency for the application file in the application tier data dictionary. A system has a memory, at a first tier, to store an application tier data dictionary and at least one application file, and a processor at the first tier to determine dependencies in the application file, store the dependencies in the application tier data dictionary, communicate with a second tier, separate from the first tier, as needed to access information with regard to the dependencies, and store the information in the application tier data dictionary.
US09424318B2 Systems and methods for ranking data visualizations
A method of ranking data visualizations is performed at a computing device having one or more processors and memory. The memory stores one or more programs for execution by the processors. A user selects a plurality of data fields from a set of data, and the computing device generates a plurality of data visualization options. Each data visualization option associates each of the user-selected data fields with a respective predefined visual specification feature. For each of the generated data visualization options, the device calculates a score based on a set of ranking criteria. A first ranking criterion of the set of ranking criteria is based on values of one or more of the user-selected data fields in the set of data. A ranked list of the data visualization options is then created, where the ranked list is ordered according to the computed scores of the data visualization options.
US09424314B2 Method and apparatus for joining read requests
Implementations of the present disclosure involve a system and/or method for joining read requests for the same data block sent to a storage appliance. The system and method is configured to receive the first read request for the data block at an I/O layer of the storage appliance. The I/O layer is configured to manage obtaining data blocks from one or more storage devices on the storage appliance. The system and method may then receive a second read request for the data block at the I/O layer of the storage appliance. The first and second read request may then be joined at I/O layer and only a single copy of the data block is returned to a cache in response to the first and second read requests.
US09424311B2 Query routing based on complexity class determination
A computer implemented method, computer system, and computer program product performs a query on a relational database. When a query is received, a corresponding complexity class is determined for the query. The query is routed to a corresponding query processor based on the corresponding complexity class determined for the submitted query. The query is executed on the corresponding query processor according to a determined execution plan.
US09424308B2 Hierarchical in-memory sort engine
A local sorting module includes a set of storage elements storing binary vectors configured in a one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) array structure and separated by respective comparators configured to conditionally compare and sort the binary vectors. The comparators may perform a sort using a compare-and-flip or a compare-and-swap operation. Local sorting modules may be coupled with a global sorting module for enabling a tournament sort algorithm to output values stored in storage elements one at a time until all data is outputted in a predetermined sorting order.
US09424307B2 Multivariate data analysis method
This invention is a computerized method which unites a multivariate dataset and then performs various operations, including data analytics. The set is stored in a “bipartite synthesis matrix” (BSM), e.g., a rectangular matrix with rows of data objects and columns of variable attributes, defined by a plurality of partitions (each with a numerical range and a characteristic scale). Links within the matrix between data objects and attribute(s) are based on shared correspondences within partitions. The process exploits mode reduction in which shared correspondences of a BSM (or its graph) interrelate data objects by producing an adjacency matrix or its associated graph. The partition scale is repeatedly and incrementally altered, varying the density of shared correspondences within the data, based on partition number and size; therefore, a fully connected and weighted unipartite network may be established. Shared correspondences' given scale and variable attribute provide distance metrics for edges within the network.
US09424296B2 Indexing of database queries
Making data available from a database is disclosed. Making data available includes specifying a query function having a query function name, wherein the query function includes a structure and a member, determining the structure and the member included in the query function, wherein the query function has a query function name and includes the structure and the member, creating an index for the structure on the member, and compiling the query function to be available to a user by invoking the query function name without the user having to specify the structure and the member. Retrieving data from a database is disclosed. Retrieving includes invoking a query function that specifies a plurality of structures and a value, accessing a cross index of the plurality of structures, and using the cross index to access the data.
US09424295B2 Systems and methods for tables of contents
To address problems related to use and formation of tables of contents, the present inventors, devised among other things, an exemplary table-of-contents (TOC) data structure and related systems and methods. One exemplary method entails associating a node from one TOC with a node of another TOC and then assigning a unique identifier to the associated pair of nodes. The unique identifier can then be used to logically define another TOC that includes portions of the two original Tics. Another exemplary method entails tagging or associating nodes of a TOC with one or more view labels. (Identifiers for node relationships rather than the nodes themselves are tagged with the labels in some embodiments.)
US09424289B2 Conforming data structure instances to schema versions
In a method for managing versions of a schema, a processor receives a first version of a schema. A processor generates an annotated version of the first version of the schema, wherein one or more fields of the annotated version of the first version of the schema each correspond to a distinct identifier. A processor receives a first instance conforming to the first version of the schema. A processor identifies one or more values of the first instance, wherein each value of the one or more values corresponds to a field of the one or more fields. A processor assigns an identifier to at least one value of the one or more values based on the distinct identifier corresponding to the field of the at least one value. A processor stores the at least one value, such that the at least one value is associated with the assigned identifier.
US09424288B2 Analyzing database cluster behavior by transforming discrete time series measurements
A method, system, and computer program product for analyzing performance of a database cluster. Disclosed are techniques for analyzing performance of components of a database cluster by transforming many discrete event measurements into a time series to identify dominant signals. The method embodiment commences by sampling the database cluster to produce a set of timestamped events, then pre-processing the timestamped events by tagging at least some of the timestamped events with a semantic tag drawn from a semantic dictionary and formatting the set of timestamped events into a time series where a time series entry comprises a time indication and a plurality of values corresponding to signal state values. Further techniques are disclosed for identifying certain signals from the time series to which is applied various statistical measurement criteria in order to isolate a set of candidate signals which are then used to identify indicative causes of database cluster behavior.
US09424286B2 Managing database recovery time
Managing database recovery time. A method includes receiving user input specifying a target recovery time for a database. The method further includes determining an amount of time to read a data page of the database from persistent storage. The method further includes determining an amount of time to process a log record of the database to apply changes specified in the log record to a data page. The method further includes determining a number of dirty pages that presently would be read in recovery if a database failure occurred. The method further includes determining a number of log records that would be processed in recovery if a database failure occurred. The method further includes adjusting at least one of the number of dirty pages that presently would be read in recovery or the number of log records that would be processed in recovery to meet the specified target recovery time.
US09424284B2 Mapping neural dynamics of a neural model on to a coarsely grained look-up table
Embodiments of the invention relate to mapping neural dynamics of a neural model on to a lookup table. One embodiment comprises defining a phase plane for a neural model. The phase plane represents neural dynamics of the neural model. The phase plane is coarsely sampled to obtain state transition information for multiple neuronal states. The state transition information is mapped on to a lookup table.
US09424282B2 Online reorganization of hybrid in-memory databases
A system and method that dynamically adapts to workload changes and adopts the best possible physical layout on the fly—while allowing simultaneous updates to the table. A process continuously and incrementally computes the optimal physical layout based on workload changes and determines whether or not switching to this new layout would be beneficial. The system can perform online reorganization of hybrid main memory databases with a negligible overheard, leading up to three orders of magnitude performance gains when determining the optimal layout of dynamic workloads and providing guarantees on the worst case performance of our system.
US09424281B2 Systems and methods for document and material management
In various embodiments, an exemplary system for viewing a content object through a web-based interface comprises a content object management module, an import/export module, a conversion module, and a GUI module. The content object management module may be configured to manage storage of the content object in the system. The import/export module may be configured to receive the content object from a database or an application external to the system, index the content object for viewing access by a user, and provide the computer readable material to the content object management module for management. The conversion module may be configured to convert the content object, received through the importation module, from a native format to a format viewable by the user through the system. The GUI module may be configured to present the content object to the user, through the web-based interface, in the viewable format.
US09424280B2 Organizing media items based on metadata similarities
A media item selection application is provided for use with computing devices. The media item selection application is configured to identify media items that have significant similarities in metadata values, such as location and time period. The media item selection application is further configured to visualize similar media items as a group, depicted as a section within a collection or gallery, in which each group is a suggestion for a natural collection of media items representing an event. Where media items do not fall within a group of a particular size with significant similarities, groups are consolidated to create a second type of collection which covers a time-period between two significant groups. Further, the media item selection application is configured to depict media items that show extraordinary similarity as a virtual stack of all such media items.
US09424278B2 Methods of searching public information for sales leads
A system and method of identifying UCC Financing Statements by productive asset type, which is useful in identifying prospects for companies that are involved in the distribution, sales, and financing of productive assets. The present invention allows the user of the invention to search UCC financing statements by brand and/or type of equipment that is used as collateral. Using a lead generation technique that involves analyzing and correlating collateral information to UCC financing statements, the statements can be identified and categorized by collateral type. By processing electronic collateral information, as well as an OCR process that converts text contained in images into searchable text. There is also a direct data entry method of gathering collateral information. This collateral information is then used in an innovative relational database. Also, the proposed invention categorizes UCC financing statements by collateral type using a method of querying specific equipment type keywords, such as equipment names and brand names. Also, the proposed invention merges UCC addendums and amendments allowing the user to view the most current UCC financing information without looking at multiple filings.
US09424272B2 Distributed file system using consensus nodes
A cluster of nodes in a distributed file system may include; at least two namenodes, each coupled to a plurality of data nodes and each configured to store a state of a namespace of the cluster and each being configured to respond to a request from a client while other(s) of the namenodes are responding to other requests from other clients; and a coordination engine coupled to each of the namenodes. The coordination engine may be configured to receive proposals from the namenodes to change the state of the namespace by replicating, deleting and/or adding data blocks stored in the data nodes and to generate, in response, an ordered set of agreements that specifies an order in which the namenodes are to change the state of the namespace. The namenodes are configured to delay making changes thereto until after the ordered set of agreements is received from the coordination engine.
US09424264B2 Hierarchical tags with community-based ratings
A method for generating and maintaining hierarchical tags with community-based ratings is provided. Tags for media streams are organized into a hierarchical format. Users may select tags from the hierarchical tag database that describes a particular multimedia content. If the user is unable to locate a desired tag, the user may submit a new tag. Upon submission of the new tag, a librarian approves the tag before storing and placing the tag in the hierarchical tag database. Users are also able to rate the quality of the association between the tag and the multimedia content. If a tag is rated low, the tag may be removed from the hierarchical tag database. If the tag is rated highly, display of the tag in a list of tags becomes more prominent.
US09424263B1 Multi-tiered filesystem
A multi-tiered filesystem integrates multiple types of storage devices into a contiguous filesystem storage space having regions associated with two or more tiers of storage.
US09424259B2 Method and system for managing content within a rich multimedia interaction
There is provided a method of managing content within a rich multimedia interaction comprising identifying a set of content objects associated with the rich multimedia interaction, determining a display subset and a reserve subset from the set of content objects, displaying the display subset, activating the reserve content objects in a minimized state, and providing a content control virtual tool configured to group and present a count of the reserve content objects according to their content object classes. The content control virtual tool is further configured to enable a user of the rich multimedia interaction to reassign content objects between the display subset and the reserve subset. A system for managing content within a rich multimedia interaction comprises a content server, a content object database, and a content management software application stored on a data storage unit.
US09424258B2 Assigning tags to media files
There is described a device and method for assigning a tag to a media file associated with metadata describing features of the media file. The metadata is converted into a query feature vector associated with the media file. A weighted distance is calculated between the query vector and each of a plurality of tag feature vectors, where each tag feature vector is included in a tag instance stored in a database, each tag instance further comprising a tag and a weight vector. The weighted distance is determined by comparing each feature of the query vector with the corresponding feature in the tag feature vector to obtain an initial distance value for that feature, modifying the initial distance value by a weight for that feature obtained from the weight vector in the tag instance to obtain a comparison value for that feature, and combining the comparison values of all of the features to obtain the weighted distance. Those tag instances whose tag feature vectors have the smallest weighted distance from the query vector are selected. The user chooses one or more of the selected tags, which are then associated with the media file. The weight for each feature in the weight vectors in the tag instances selected by the tag selection unit is updated on the basis of whether or not the tag in each tag instance was chosen by the user, and the distance between the feature of the tag feature vector and the corresponding feature in the query vector.
US09424257B1 Compiler and operating system adapted for generating programs for decoding communication packets utilizing a protocol stack
A method for operating a data processing system to extract information from a record is disclosed. The method includes defining a plurality of ALTERNATIVE statements. Each ALTERNATIVE statement includes a label that identifies that ALTERNATIVE statement, a Signature that defines a test that is to be performed on a field in the data record defined by a first window, and a NEXT statement that defines a different ALTERNATIVE statement and a second window for testing by that different ALTERNATIVE statement. In one aspect of the invention, the test includes a regular expression that is to match the field. The method defines a SCHEMA statement that defines a plurality of fields within the record. One of the defined fields includes an offset defining a location in the record, a field name, and a field length. The offset and/or the field length are computed by the data processing system.
US09424251B2 Method for extracting semantic distance from mathematical sentences and classifying mathematical sentences by semantic distance, device therefor, and computer readable recording medium
A method of extracting the semantic distance from the mathematical sentence and classifying the mathematical sentence by the semantic distance, includes: receiving a user query; extracting at least one keyword included in the received user query; and extracting a semantic distance by, indexing one or more of natural language tokens and mathematical equation tokens including semantic information, extracting the semantic distance, between the at least one extracted keyword and the one or more indexed semantic information by referring indexed information, and acquiring a similarity of the received user query and the semantic information.
US09424250B2 Systems and methods for semantic information retrieval
A semantic tagging method may add context to a sentence in order to increase search efficiency. Regardless of an author's writing style, translating semantic concepts into tags may increase search efficiency. Automatic semantic tagging of documents may allow semantic search and reasoning. Text for semantic tagging may include an email, a website chat room, an internet forum, or a text message. Additional texts may include aggregating general consensus of an emailed topic across multiple emails, whether in the same email chain or separate emails. To increase search efficiency, the analysis of prior communications within the body of text may comprise analyzing structured contextual information to facilitate with homophora resolution. The structured contextual information may include at least one of a sender email address, one or more recipient email addresses, a subject field, a message date and time stamp, and an attachment title.
US09424245B2 Universal language classification devices, systems, and methods
A computer-implemented method, implemented, at least in part, by hardware in combination with software, the method includes (A) obtaining text from a document; (B) parsing said text using at least one parallel sentence parsing process to obtain sentence data from said text; (C) parsing said sentence data using at least one parallel noun parsing process to obtain text data from said sentence data; (D) scoring said text data using at least one term scorer process and a known word list to obtain scored terms corresponding to said text data; and (E) determining known word scores corresponding to said text data, using said known word list, wherein said known word scores comprise base scores and category penetration scores; wherein steps (B), (C), (D), and (E) operate in parallel for at least some of the text from the document.
US09424242B2 Data capture and analysis
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for automated data entry performs a data recognition function on a document to recognize data from a plurality of fields including information entered by a user into at least one field, identifies at least one field that has an issue with recognized data from the field, compiles at least one correction page formatted to resolve the issue for each identified field of the document after completion of the correction page by the user, prints each correction page, and performs a data recognition function on each correction page, including information entered by the user in each field of each correction page, to resolve the issue for each identified field of the document.
US09424238B2 Methods and systems for order set processing and validation
Methods and systems for validating order sets that are to be exported are described. Such order set validation may optionally be performed in substantially real-time. A content editor user interface configured to enable a user to create or edit an order set is provided for display. A user selection of a target format to which the order set is to be exported is received. A user edit with respect to the order set is detected and a validation rule is accessed. The rule is applied to the edited order set to obtain a validation evaluation, optionally in substantially real-time, indicating whether the edited order set is ready for export to the target format, and a corresponding validation notification is provided for display via the content editor. The order set may be exported to the user selected target format.
US09424236B2 Filtered Stylesheets
In one set of embodiments, a web document is associated with a style sheet that can include style rules, which provide details about how the document is to be presented and formatted by, for example, a web browser. A reduced set of style rules is determined based upon contents of the web document and style sheet. Reducing the size of the style sheet is desirable, e.g., to increase communication and processing efficiency when the style sheet is sent with the document in an e-mail message. The reduced set of style rules can include rules that are referenced by user interface components present in the document, and can exclude rules that are not referenced by the document, or are incompatible with or not applicable to e-mail. The reduced set of style rules can be embedded in an e-mail message or other communication in place of the original style sheet.
US09424235B2 Variable formatting of values
Variable formatting for cells in computer spreadsheets, tables, and other documents is provided. For a selected range of cells, cell formats vary with the value in each cell (or an associated value). Formats can include color-scale backgrounds, in-cell elements (e.g., icons and data bars), and other cell formats that can be varied with a value.
US09424234B2 Methods and apparatus for automatically creating variations of original content based on searching for alternative content objects based on characteristics of the original content
Methods and apparatus for various embodiments of an Automated Creative Content Generation (ACCG) system provide different methods for automating the creative generation of customized variations of original content productions. The original content productions may include images and/or text. Various methods are presented by which the ACCG system begins with an original content production, searches for alternative content, potentially modifies the alternative content, and automatically creates one or more content variations that include the alternative content.
US09424232B2 Processing of linear systems of equations
A method for processing linear systems of equations and finding a nx1 vector x satisfying Ax=b where A is a symmetric, positive-definite nxn matrix corresponding to nxn predefined high-precision elements and b is an n1 vector corresponding to n predefined high-precision elements. A first iterative process generates n low-precision elements corresponding to an nx1 vector x1 satisfying A1x1=b1 where A1, b1 are elements in low precision. The elements are converted to high-precision data elements to obtain a current solution vector x. A second iterative process generates n low-precision data elements corresponding to an nx1 correction vector dependent on the difference between the vector b and the vector product Ax. Then there is produced from the n low-precision data elements of the correction vector respective high-precision data elements of an nx1 update vector u. The data elements of the current solution vector x are updated such that x=x±u.
US09424230B2 Converting a data placement between memory banks and an array processing section
In an array processing section, using data strings entered from input ports, a plurality of data processor elements execute predetermined operations while transferring data to each other, and output data strings of results of the operations from a plurality of output ports. A first data string converter converts data strings stored in a plurality of data storages of a data storage group into a placement suitable for the operations in the array processing section, and enters the converted data strings into the input ports of the array processing section. A second data string converter converts the data strings output from output ports of the array processing section into a placement to be stored in the plurality of data storages of the data storage group.
US09424228B2 High performance, scalable multi chip interconnect
A flexible, scalable server is described. The server includes plural server nodes each server node including processor cores and switching circuitry configured to couple the processor to a network among the cores with the plurality of cores implementing networking functions within the compute nodes wherein the plurality of cores networking capabilities allow the cores to connect to each other, and to offer a single interface to a network coupled to the server.
US09424225B2 Driver interface functions to interface client function drivers
In embodiments of driver interface functions to interface client function drivers, a set of serial communication protocol driver interfaces are exposed by a core driver stack, and the serial communication protocol driver interfaces include driver interface functions to interface with client function drivers that correspond to client devices configured for data communication in accordance with the serial communication protocol. A client function driver can check for the availability of a driver interface function before interfacing with the core driver stack via the serial communication protocol driver interfaces. A contract version identifier can also be received from the client function driver via an extension of the driver interface functions, where the contract version identifier indicates a set of operation rules by which the client function driver interfaces with the core driver stack.
US09424223B2 Tightly coupled multiprocessor system
The tightly coupled multiprocessor system includes a plurality of main processors. The main processors are connected via an inter-processor interface. Each of the main processors includes at least one pair of an expansion slot for installing a coprocessor and an expansion slot for installing an external interface card.
US09424218B1 SAS expander with non-blocking virtual phy architecture
A SAS expander includes a switch core, a number of SAS expander phys coupled to the switch core, an SMP originator coupled to the switch core and an SMP receptor coupled to the switch core. In an embodiment, the SMP originator is configured to only send connection requests and the SMP receptor is configured to only receive connection requests. Program instructions stored in non-transient digital storage media include code segments detecting a new connection request, code segments determining whether the new connection request is in conflict with an existing connection request and code segments determining if there is a free destination receptor phy. In an embodiment, the free destination receptor phy is never operationally used for an origination of a connection request.
US09424217B2 Methods and devices for finding settings to be used in relation to a sensor unit connected to a processing unit
A method performed in a processing unit for finding settings to be used in relation to a sensor unit connected to the processing unit is disclosed. The method comprises inter alia receiving, from the sensor unit, a first identifier identifying a type of the sensor unit, and a second identifier identifying a group of at least one related type of sensor unit. If no settings associated with the first identifier are stored in the processing unit, but settings associated with the second identifier are stored in the processing unit, the processing unit uses the settings associated with the second identifier in relation to the sensor unit.
US09424215B2 USB based virtualized media system
In a virtualized desktop system an interfacing module is coupled to peripheral ports of a target device. The interfacing module is connected to a network. A digital user station is connected to the network. The digital user station is configured to be coupled to peripherals. The interfacing module and digital user station use respective hardware engines to communicate via said network.
US09424213B2 Processing system with interspersed processors DMA-FIFO
Embodiments of a multi-processor array are disclosed that may include a plurality of processors, local memories, configurable communication elements, and direct memory access (DMA) engines, and a DMA controller. Each processor may be coupled to one of the local memories, and the plurality of processors, local memories, and configurable communication elements may be coupled together in an interspersed arrangement. The DMA controller may be configured to control the operation of the plurality of DMA engines.
US09424210B1 SDRAM memory organization and efficient access
Various structures and methods are disclosed related to efficiently accessing a memory for a particular application. An embodiment of the present invention utilizes characteristics of an access pattern for a particular application to provide a more efficient organization of data in a memory. In one embodiment, the predictability in access needs for a particular application is exploited to provide a data organization method for organizing data in an SDRAM memory to support efficient access. In one embodiment, the particular application is operation under the Long Term Evolution (“LTE”) standard for wireless communications. In one embodiment, associated hardware and methods are provided to, when necessary, reorder read commands and, when necessary, reorder data read from memory so that at least some of the time overhead for accessing one row can be hid behind an access of another row.
US09424199B2 Virtual input/output memory management unit within a guest virtual machine
A virtual input/output memory management unit (IOMMU) is configured to provide a firewall around memory requests associated with an input/output (I/O) device. The virtual IOMMU uses data structures including a guest page table, a host page table and a general control register (i.e., GCR3) table. The guest page table is implemented in hardware to support the speed requirements of the virtual IOMMU. The GCR3 table is indexed using a virtual DeviceID parameter stored in a device table.
US09424196B2 Adjustment of the number of task control blocks allocated for discard scans
A controller receives a request to perform a release space operation. A determination is made that a new discard scan has to be performed on a cache, in response to the received request to perform the release space operation. A determination is made as to how many task control blocks are to be allocated to the perform the new discard scan, based on how many task control blocks have already been allocated for performing one or more discard scans that are already in progress.
US09424195B2 Dynamic remapping of cache lines
A method of managing cache memory includes accessing a cache memory at a primary index that corresponds to an address specified in an access request. A determination is made that accessing the cache memory at the primary index does not result in a cache hit on a cache line with an error-free status. In response to this determination, the primary index is mapped to a secondary index and data for the address is written to a cache line at the secondary index.
US09424194B2 Probabilistic associative cache
A computer cache memory organization called Probabilistic Set Associative Cache (PAC) has the hardware complexity and latency of a direct-mapped cache but functions as a set-associative cache for a fraction of the time, thus yielding better than direct mapped cache hit rates. The organization is considered a (1+P)—way set associative cache, where the chosen parameter called Override Probability P determines the average associativity, for example, for P=0.1, effectively it operates as if a 1.1-way set associative cache.
US09424190B2 Data processing system operable in single and multi-thread modes and having multiple caches and method of operation
Systems and methods are disclosed for a computer system that includes a first load/store execution unit 210a, a first Level 1 L1 data cache unit 216a coupled to the first load/store execution unit, a second load/store execution unit 210b, and a second L1 data cache unit 216b coupled to the second load/store execution unit. Some instructions are directed to the first load/store execution unit and other instructions are directed to the second load/store execution unit when executing a single thread of instructions.
US09424188B2 Non-volatile memory packaging system with caching and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a non-volatile memory packaging system includes: addressing an integrated circuit package having a system interface; accessing a module controller, in the integrated circuit package, through system interface; accessing a random access memory, in the integrated circuit package, by the module controller for storing data from the system interface; writing to a non-volatile memory, in the integrated circuit package by the module controller, with the data from the random access memory; and monitoring an address look-up register, by the module controller, for reading the data from the non-volatile memory or the random access memory through the system interface.
US09424185B1 Method and system for garbage collection of data storage systems
A garbage collector of a storage system traverses a namespace of a file system of the storage system to identify segments that are alive in a breadth-first manner. The namespace includes information identifying files that are represented by segments arranged in a plurality of levels in a hierarchy, where an upper level segment includes one or more references to one or more lower level segments, and at least one segment is referenced by multiple files. All live segments of an upper level are identified before any of live segments of a lower level are identified. Upon all live segments of all levels have been identified, the live segments are copied from their original storage locations to a new storage location, and a storage space associated with the original storage locations is reclaimed.
US09424183B2 Data storage device and method for operating the same
An operating method of a data storage device includes receiving a write request, determining whether it is possible to perform a first write operation of simultaneously writing a plurality of bits in each of memory cells coupled to one word line of a nonvolatile memory apparatus, and performing a garbage collection operation for the nonvolatile memory apparatus, according to a determination result, and generating first merged data.
US09424179B2 Systems and methods for latency based data recycling in a solid state memory system
Systems and method relating generally to solid state memory, and more particularly to systems and methods for recycling data in a solid state memory. The systems and methods include receiving a data set maintained in a memory device, applying at least one iteration of a data decoding algorithm to the data set by a data decoder circuit to yield a decoded output, counting the number of iterations of the data decoding algorithm applied to the data set to yield an iteration count, and recycling the data set to the memory device. The recycling is triggered based at least in part on the iteration count.
US09424176B2 Robust sector ID scheme for tracking dead sectors to automate search and copydown
A brownout tolerant EEPROM emulator (18) manages memory operations at a volatile memory (20) and non-volatile memory (24) using a plurality of sector status bits (451) and forward/reverse skip flags (452, 453) stored in a sector identification record (45) of each sector to define a plurality of status indicators arranged sequentially to specify a plurality of sector configuration states for each memory sector, and to automatically bypass one or more dead sectors in the non-volatile memory array during forward copydown and reverse search operations.
US09424172B1 Web services comparison tool
A method for testing web services includes obtaining, by a new version of a service deployed on a network framework, a request and an old response to the request generated by an old version of the service, generating, by the new version of the service, a new response to the request, and generating, by a comparison tool built into the network framework and accessible to the new version of the service, a comparison of the old response and the new response.
US09424158B2 Server system with signal matching functionality
A server system includes at least one server and a server cabinet. The at least one server includes a first connection port and a baseboard management controller which detects a connection state of the first connection port and according to the connection state, outputs a data signal or a warning signal. The server cabinet includes chambers for containing the at least one server, and the chamber includes a second connection port and a storage unit. The storage unit stores data. When the connection state specifies that the first connection port couples to the second connection port, the baseboard management controller reads the data stored in the storage unit, to output the data signal. When the connection state specifies that the first connection port does not couple to the second connection port, the baseboard management controller outputs the warning signal.
US09424157B2 Early detection of failing computers
A computer management system may track services on multiple computers executing the same workload. Various performance counters may be retrieved from the computers and analyzed to identify those with low deviations and low mean deviations. Statistical tests may then be used to compare the values of a particular computer to the deviation of the group of computers to identify outliers, which may indicate degraded performance and imminent failure of the computer. The management system may analyze any collectable performance related parameter to identify outlying systems.
US09424154B2 Method of and system for computer system state checks
A system for and method of system state analysis of a computational system. The method is comprised of capturing selective state information of a computational system configured to operated with one or more guest machines running on a virtual machine layer and configured to output state information. The state information is then analyzed to for compliance checking. The system for system state analysis is comprised of a storage system, computation hardware configured to run the guest machines and the virtual machine layer, guest machines, a virtual machine layer configured to output guest machine state information, a system state snapshot server configured to control the virtual machine layer for the capture of state information.
US09424153B2 Storage device and operating method of the same
An operating method is disclosed for a storage device configured to receive a command from an external device through a command pad, transmit a response to the external device through the command pad, and exchange data with the external device through a plurality of data pads. The operating method includes receiving a debug command through the command pad by the storage device and outputting internal information through the command pad in response to the debug command as the response by the storage device.
US09424152B1 Techniques for managing a disaster recovery failover policy
Techniques for managing a disaster recovery failover policy are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for managing a disaster recovery failover policy comprising identifying which of several disaster recovery sites are available for disaster recovery of host data, determining a configuration of each disaster recovery site identified, performing at least one test on each disaster recovery site identified, calculating a result from the at least one test performed on each disaster recovery site, and updating the disaster recovery failover policy based on the determined configuration and the calculated result.
US09424150B2 Fault tolerance based query execution
Various embodiments of systems and methods for a fault tolerance based query execution are described herein. Queries are received from users, the queries including operators. A multi-query optimization is performed on the operators included in the queries to obtain a query plan. A fault tolerance degree is determined for the operators included in the query plan. Based on the fault tolerance degree of the operators, nodes are assigned to the operators included in the query plan. The assigned nodes execute the operators included in the query plan to execute the queries. In one aspect, the nodes simultaneously execute the operators included in the query plan.
US09424143B2 Method and system for providing high availability to distributed computer applications
Method, system, apparatus and/or computer program for achieving transparent integration of high-availability services for distributed application programs. Loss-less migration of sub-programs from their respective primary nodes to backup nodes is performed transparently to a client which is connected to the primary node. Migration is performed by high-availability services which are configured for injecting registration codes, registering distributed applications, detecting execution failures, executing from backup nodes in response to failure, and other services. High-availability application services can be utilized by distributed applications having any desired number of sub-programs without the need of modifying or recompiling the application program and without the need of a custom loader. In one example embodiment, a transport driver is responsible for receiving messages, halting and flushing of messages, and for issuing messages directing sub-programs to continue after checkpointing.
US09424142B2 Hardware-assisted application checkpointing and restoring
Technologies for hardware-assisted application checkpointing include a computing device having a processor with hardware checkpoint support. In response to encountering a checkpoint event during execution of an application, the computing device saves the execution state of the application to nonvolatile storage using the hardware checkpoint support. The computing device may also restore the execution state using the hardware checkpoint support. The hardware checkpoint support may save part or all of the virtual memory space of the application in a manner transparent to the executing process. The hardware checkpoint support may be invoked using one or more system hooks such as system calls or processor instructions. The computing device may monitor for checkpoint events using hardware event monitors of the processor, chipset, or other components of the computing device. The computing device may store execution state in a dedicated flash memory cache. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09424139B1 Version based data protection
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for recovering data. In some embodiments, this includes creating a version of the data set, determining a metadata window based on the created version, storing metadata based on the determined metadata window in a first storage device, and storing the version in a second storage device. In some embodiments, a metadata tag may be associated with the metadata, and in some embodiments, a version tag may be associated with the version.
US09424137B1 Block-level backup of selected files
A block-level backup of a selected file on a source volume is done in an efficient manner by taking a snapshot copy of the source volume, and creating, mounting, and formatting a dynamically-extended backup volume, creating a sparse backup file on the backup volume, and then consolidating extents of the selected file while copying the extents at the block level from the snapshot copy of the source volume to the backup file on the backup volume. For an incremental block backup, only extents of changed blocks of the selected file are copied, and the changed blocks are identified by a modified block map of a previous snapshot copy of the source volume.
US09424135B1 Migration of large data from on-line content management to archival content management
A method for content management in a file system includes creating a file system storage device with a storage area symbolic name. A core table data structure is generated including a core table partition field. An ancillary table data structure is generated including an ancillary table partition field. Partitioning rules for the file system storage device are cached based on the storage area symbolic name. Property values for a document are compared with the cached partitioning rules to determine a match for the storage area symbolic name. The document is stored into a partition of the file system storage device based on the storage area symbolic name. Metadata for the document is stored into a partition of the core table based on the core table partition field. Ancillary objects for the document are stored into a partition of the ancillary table based on the ancillary partition fields.
US09424134B2 Boot management in a non-volatile memory system
According to one configuration, computer processor hardware retrieves boot data stored in the non-volatile memory system. The boot data includes executable boot code and corresponding error correction information. The computer processor hardware applies first error correction decoding to the retrieved boot data. In response to detecting an inability to decode the retrieved boot data via application of the first error correction decoding, the computer processor hardware applies second error correction decoding to the retrieved boot data to configure the computer processor hardware.
US09424132B2 Adjusting dispersed storage network traffic due to rebuilding
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) monitoring network traffic within the DSN. When the network traffic compares unfavorably to a desired network traffic function, the method continues with the DS processing module reducing a portion of the network traffic due to rebuilding flagged encoded data slices by at least one of changing rebuilding criteria for the flagged encoded data slices and changing rebuilding network traffic protocols.
US09424131B2 Spatially decoupled redundancy schemes for a solid state drive (SSD)
An apparatus comprising a memory and a controller. The memory may be configured to process a plurality of read/write operations. The memory may comprise a plurality of memory modules each having a size less than a total size of the memory. The controller may be configured to write user data using a redundancy scheme. Information about the redundancy is (i) stored in a location separate from the data and (ii) used to recover potentially corrupted user data.
US09424129B2 Methods and systems including at least two types of non-volatile cells
Methods and systems that include receiving data to be written to a NAND array in a controller; and writing the data to the NAND array, the NAND array including both type A NAND cells and type B NAND cells, wherein the type A NAND cells and the type B NAND cells have at least one structural difference.
US09424124B2 Error-tolerant memories
Methods and apparatuses relating to error-tolerant memories are provided. In one example embodiment, output signals from at least three memory devices are supplied to an error correction device. The error correction device outputs a corrected data value in such a manner that, when the read data values match, this data value is output and, in at least one state in which the data values do not match, a previously output data value is retained.
US09424118B2 Change message broadcast error detection
A hardware device detects change messages broadcast within a system. The system includes the hardware device, one or more controller devices, one or more expander devices, and one or more target devices interconnected among one another. The hardware device determines whether the change messages were broadcast within the system every first period of time or less for at least a second period of time, the first period of time less than the second period of time. In response to determining that the change messages were broadcast within the system every first period of time or less for at least the second period of time, the hardware devices signals that an error has been detected.
US09424117B1 Virtual storage processor failover
A technique performs virtual storage processor (VSP) failover. The technique involves accessing, by a first physical storage processor of the data storage apparatus, a VSP to create an operating environment for a host file system from the first physical storage processor. The technique further involves, after accessing the VSP to create the operating environment for the host file system from the first physical storage processor, detecting a failure of the first physical storage processor. The technique further involves accessing, in response to detecting the failure of the first physical storage processor and by a second physical storage processor of the data storage apparatus, the VSP to re-create the operating environment for the host file system from the second physical storage processor.
US09424115B2 Analysis engine for automatically analyzing and linking error logs
Test results can be analyzed and linked using an automated system. In a first embodiment, an error log can be received including log data associated with an error. The log data can be parsed to transform it into a standardized format to allow for easier searching and comparison. Once standardized, an automatic comparison can be made between the parsed log data and previous errors obtained from error logs. If a match is found between the parsed log data and a previous error, then the parsed log data can be linked to the previous error so as to generate a relationship between the two.
US09424110B2 Providing a recovery placeholder within an application
Embodiments described herein provide recovery placeholders within an application. Specifically, one approach includes providing an application operating on a client device, and generating a recovery placeholder that defines a current state of the application by analyzing a queue containing a set of messages, and identifying one or more selected events corresponding to the application from the queue. In one approach, the current state defines, at the time the recovery placeholder is generated, at least one of: a position within a window of the application, a current activity of the application, a position of the window within a display of a display device, and a placement order of the window of the application in relation to a stack of other cascaded windows. At a later point in time, the application may then be restored to the current state by accessing the recovery placeholder to replay the one or more selected events.
US09424108B2 Launching and managing unattended application programs
Provided are techniques for launching and managing an unattended application program. The application program is launched in background mode. In response to determining that an exit command has been received, an exit command indicator is set to indicate that the exit command has been received and a notification is sent to wake up a blocked main thread of the launched application program.
US09424104B2 High performance locks
Systems and methods of enhancing computing performance may provide for detecting a request to acquire a lock associated with a shared resource in a multi-threaded execution environment. A determination may be made as to whether to grant the request based on a context-based lock condition. In one example, the context-based lock condition includes a lock redundancy component and an execution context component.
US09424098B2 Dynamic resource scheduling
Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for dynamically scheduling resources using policies to self-optimize resource workloads in a data center. The object of the invention is to allocate resources in the data center dynamically corresponding to a set of policies that are configured by an administrator. Operational parametrics that correlate to the cost of ownership of the data center are monitored and compared to the set of policies configured by the administrator. When the operational parametrics approach or exceed levels that correspond to the set of policies, workloads in the data center are adjusted with the goal of minimizing the cost of ownership of the data center. Such parametrics include yet are not limited to those that relate to resiliency, power balancing, power consumption, power management, error rate, maintenance, and performance.
US09424094B2 Server consolidation using virtual machine resource tradeoffs
Server consolidation using virtual machine resource tradeoffs, is provided. One implementation involves assigning a virtual machine to a target physical server based on a plurality of virtualization parameters for maximizing utility of a plurality of virtual machines and physical servers. The assigning performs resource allocation for the virtual machine based on capabilities of the target physical server and a plurality of virtual machine resource requirements. Virtualization parameters include a reservation parameter (min) representing a minimum resources required for a VM, a limit parameter (max) representing a maximum resources allowable for the VM, and a weight parameter (shares) representing a share of spare resources for the VM.
US09424093B2 Process scheduler employing adaptive partitioning of process threads
A system includes a processor and memory storage units storing software code. The software code comprises code for a scheduling system and for generating a plurality of adaptive partitions that are each associated with one or more process threads and that each have a corresponding processor budget. The code also is executable to, when the system is under a normal load, allocate the processor to one of the threads that is in a ready state and has the highest priority among the process threads that are in a ready state. The code is also executable to, when the system is in overload, allocate the processor to one of the process threads that is in a ready state and has the highest priority among the process threads that are in a ready state and for which the adaptive partition that the process thread is associated with has available guaranteed processor budget.
US09424091B2 Deploying software in a multi-instance node
A system for deploying big data software in a multi-instance node. The optimal CPU memory and core configuration for a single instance database is determined. After determining an optimal core-memory ratio for a single instance execution, the software is deployed in multi-instance mode on single machine by applying the optimal core-memory ratio for each of the instances. The multi-instance database may then be deployed and data may be loaded in parallel for the instances.
US09424087B2 Optimizing collective operations
Optimizing collective operations including receiving an instruction to perform a collective operation type; selecting an optimized collective operation for the collective operation type; performing the selected optimized collective operation; determining whether a resource needed by the one or more nodes to perform the collective operation is not available; if a resource needed by the one or more nodes to perform the collective operation is not available: notifying the other nodes that the resource is not available; selecting a next optimized collective operation; and performing the next optimized collective operation.
US09424086B2 Support of non-trivial scheduling policies along with topological properties
A system comprises a scheduling unit for scheduling jobs to resources, and a library unit comprising a machine map of the system and a global status map of interconnections of resources. A monitoring unit generates status information signals for the resources. The library unit receives the signals and determines a free map of resources to execute the job to be scheduled, the free map indicating the interconnection of resources to which the job in a current scheduling cycle can be scheduled and determined by removing from the machine map resources which fall within the global status map and re-introducing resources in the global status map which the scheduling unit has indicated the job being scheduled can be scheduled to. The monitoring unit dispatches a job to the resources in the free map which match the resource mapping requirements of the job and fall within the free map.
US09424085B2 Recognizing a process group that is related to an application
A terminal device includes first storage, second storage, and a processor. The first storage is configured to store used resource information which indicates a set of one or more resources to be used by an application installed in the terminal device. The second storage is configured to store association information which associates each particular resource for which access is provided by a particular process, with the particular process. The processor is configured to recognize a process group which is related to the application, and includes a set of one or more particular processes each of which is associated by the association information with a resource included in the set of one or more resources indicated by the used resource information.
US09424084B2 Systems, methods, and media for online server workload management
Methods, using a hardware processor, for online server workload management are provided, comprising: receiving information regarding client device requests; determining, using a hardware processor, a workload distribution for the requests based on electricity cost and carbon footprint of one or more data centers using Lyapunov optimization; sending the workload distribution to the one or more data centers; and causing servers in the one or more data center to be active or inactive based on the workload distribution. Systems are provided, comprising at least one hardware processor configured to: receive information regarding client device requests; determine a workload distribution for the requests based on electricity cost and carbon footprint of one or more data centers using Lyapunov optimization; send the workload distribution to the one or more data centers; and cause servers in the one or more data center to be active or inactive based on the workload distribution.
US09424077B2 Throttle control on cloud-based computing tasks utilizing enqueue and dequeue counters
Systems and methods for throttle control on cloud-based computing tasks are provided. An example method includes, obtaining a service request from a first user, in a plurality of users, of the computer system; in accordance with a first determination that placing the service request in a service queue associated with the first user would not cause an enqueue counter associated with the first user to be exceeded, causing the service request to be placed in the service quest to await execution. The method also includes, after the service request is placed in the service queue, in accordance with a second determination that executing the service request would not cause a dequeue counter associated with the first user to be exceeded, causing the service request to be executed.
US09424076B1 Dynamic distribution for distributed arrays and related rules
The present invention provides a method and system for the dynamic distribution of an array in a parallel computing environment. The present invention obtains a criterion for distributing an array and performs flexible portioning based on the obtained criterion. In some embodiment analysis may be performed based on the criterion. The flexible portioning is then performed based on the analysis.
US09424075B1 Dynamic virtual partitioning for delayed queues
A timer service receives timer creation requests from clients and fires those timers upon their expiration by returning to the requesting clients payloads provided with the timer creation requests. A timer creation request includes a client identifier, a timer expiration time, and a payload. The timer service queues timer creation requests, a creation worker adds timer records to a timer store in response to requests and manages virtual partitions of the timer store, and sweeper workers, one per virtual partition, sweep timers into a second queue. A firing worker reads timer index records from the second queue, determines the timers referenced in those timer index records and executes the payloads of those timers. The timer store can be tiered, with virtual partitions different storage priorities based on the timer expirations of the timers in the virtual partitions.
US09424072B2 Alerting hardware transactions that are about to run out of space
A transactional memory system determines whether to pass control of a transaction to an about-to-run-out-of-resource handler. A processor of the transactional memory system determines information about an about-to-run-out-of-resource handler for transaction execution of a code region of a hardware transaction. The processor dynamically monitors an amount of available resource for the currently running code region of the hardware transaction. The processor detects that the amount of available resource for transactional execution of the hardware transaction is below a predetermined threshold level. The processor, based on the detecting, saves speculative state information of the hardware transaction, and executes the about-to-run-out-of-resource handler, the about-to-run-out-of-resource handler determining whether the hardware transaction is to be aborted or salvaged.
US09424071B2 Transaction digest generation during nested transactional execution
Generating a digest in a transactional memory environment for performing transactional executions, the transactional memory environment supporting transaction nesting is provided. Included is generating for a transaction, by a computer system, a computed digest based on the execution of at least one of a plurality of instructions of the transaction; based on beginning a nested transaction, executed within the transactional region of the transaction, saving a snapshot of the computed digest as a nesting level snapshot; beginning execution of the nested transaction: updating, by the computer system, the computed digest based on the execution of at least one of a plurality of instructions of the nested transaction; and based on an abort of the nested transaction, restoring the computed digest from the nesting level snapshot and restarting the nested transaction.
US09424070B2 Combining scalability across multiple resources in a transaction processing system having global serializability
There is disclosed a method and system for processing transactions requested by an application in a distributed computer system. The computer system includes at least one resource comprising a plurality of storage areas each with an associated resource manager, or a plurality of resources each comprising at least one storage area with an associated resource manager, the storage areas holding the same tables as each other. There is also provided a transaction manager that is linked, by way of either a network or a local application programming interface (API), to each of the resource managers, the transaction manager being configured to coordinate transaction prepare and commit cycles. The application requests operations on the resource by way of an interface; and a dispatch function directs transactions from the application to the appropriate storage areas on the basis of the content of the tables in the resource managers, in such a way that any given transaction is routed only to the storage areas containing entries upon which the transaction operates, allowing another transaction operating on different entries to be routed concurrently in parallel to other storage areas. A safe timestamp manager is provided to allocate new timestamps for committing transactions when such transactions access more than one resource storage area at the same time.
US09424066B2 Redeploying a baseline virtual machine to update a child virtual machine by creating and swapping a virtual disk comprising a clone of the baseline virtual machine
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for redeploying a baseline VM (BVM) to one or more child VMs (CVMs) by merely cloning virtual drives of the BVM, instead of the entirety of the parent BVM. A temporary directory is created in a datastore that has the target CVMs that are targeted for virtual drive replacement (e.g., are to be “re-baselined”). One or more replacement virtual drives (RVDs) are created in the temporary directory, where the RVDs comprise a clone of a virtual drive of the source BVM. The one or more RVDs are moved from the temporary directory to a directory of the target CVMs, replacing existing virtual drives of the target CVMs so that the target CVMs are thus re-baselined to the state of the parent BVM.
US09424064B2 Adaptor implementation for internet protocol address and port hopping
A system and method of deploying a network hopping adaptor is disclosed. In some embodiments, a network hopping adaptor may be configured to manipulate network traffic so as to change at least one network characteristic of the network traffic, and at least one network interface of a machine selected from a group of machines may be configured to send the network traffic to the network hopping adaptor. The network hopping adaptor may manipulate such characteristics as an IP address, a port number, an encryption algorithm or a compression algorithm. The group of machines may be deployed as virtual machines being executed by a virtualization server, and the network hopping adaptor may be implemented on another virtual machine being executed by the virtualization server. Alternatively, or in addition, the group of machines or the network hopping adaptor may be implemented as physical machines.
US09424063B2 Method and system for generating remediation options within a cluster of host computers that run virtual machines
A method for adjusting the configuration of host computers in a cluster on which virtual machines are running in response to a failed change in state is disclosed. The method involves receiving at least one reason a change in state failed the present check or the future check, associating the at least one reason with at least one remediation action, wherein the remediation action would allow the change in state to pass both a present check and a future check, assigning the at least one remediation action a cost, and determining a set of remediation actions to perform based on the cost assigned to each remediation action. In an embodiment, the steps of this method may be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed in a computing device, causes the computing device to carry out the steps.
US09424062B1 Virtualization infrastructure support
Remote computing resource service providers allow customers to execute one or more applications in a virtual environment on computer systems provided by the computing resource service provider. The customer applications are generally executed by multiple virtual machine instances working together. The virtual machines may be managed by a hypervisor executing on computer systems operated by the service provider. Different hypervisors may support different features and have different capabilities. Customers may wish to execute the one or more applications on a particular hypervisor in order to utilize certain features. A control plane may be used to facilitate management of the virtual environment by one or more services of the computing resource service provider.
US09424058B1 File deduplication and scan reduction in a virtualization environment
A virtual machine template is created. The template includes a file system containing files to be deduplicated across multiple virtual machines. For each file to deduplicate, a hash of the content is generated and stored in association with the file. The content of the file is moved from the virtual machine template to a file store. The entry for the file in the store is indexed according to the hash. Multiple virtual machines are created by cloning the template, each containing a copy of its file system and the hashes stored locally in association with the corresponding deduplicated files. File access operations are monitored on each one of the multiple virtual machines, and attempts to access deduplicated file are detected. In response, the corresponding locally stored hash is used to retrieve the content of the file from the central file store, and provide it to the virtual machine.
US09424057B2 Method and apparatus to improve efficiency in the use of resources in data center
A method of managing use of resources in data center comprises: determining whether first storage subsystem includes a virtual volume or a storage pool that uses a physical volume of second storage subsystem and, if yes, migrating the physical volume to first storage subsystem; determining whether any storage subsystem includes a virtual volume created directly from a physical volume and, if yes, migrating the virtual volume to another virtual volume provisioned from the storage pool of the storage subsystem; and determining whether all virtual volumes satisfy a preset service level objective and, if no, then selecting a virtual machine which has a smallest virtual machine disk file and selecting a storage pool having a largest free space, and then selecting a virtual volume of the storage subsystem which has the selected storage pool and migrating the virtual machine disk file of the selected virtual machine to the selected virtual volume.
US09424056B1 Cross site recovery of a VM
Restoring a virtual machine is disclosed. An indication of the virtual machine of a primary site to be restored at a remote site using a copy stored at the remote site of a backup data of the virtual machine of the primary site is received. The virtual machine is restored to the remote site using a backup application deployed at the remote site as a virtual appliance managed using a virtual environment management platform.
US09424053B2 Method and apparatus for displaying personalized user interface
A method of displaying a user interface (UI), wherein the displaying is performed by a client, is provided. The method includes receiving UI data from a server, generating the UI to be displayed based on the received UI data and characteristics of the client and displaying the generated UI.
US09424052B2 Remotely emulating computing devices
Disclosed are various embodiments that facilitate remote emulation of computing devices. A model of a computing device and an application that is executable in the computing device are identified. The application is executed in a hosted environment. A video signal of the application is encoded into a media stream. A user interface is encoded for rendering in a client. The user interface includes a graphical representation of the model of the computing device. A screen of the graphical representation of the model of the computing device is configured to render at least a portion of the video signal from the media stream.
US09424051B2 Method and system for modeling and naming a software class
A method for modeling classes to create an application in an object-oriented programming environment based on a hierarchical rooted classification (E) and inheritance-based naming of an entity is disclosed. The method comprises in the logic classification (EB), on a first level, determining whether the entity belongs to a single-element class (EBU) or a multiple-element class (EBG) and providing a first indication therefor; on a second level, if the entity belongs to a single-element class (EBU), determining whether the entity is one of a data (I), a link (L), a role (R) and a domain (D) and providing a second indication therefor; and creating a name for the entity by aggregating the first and the second indications.
US09424048B2 Inductive peripheral retention device
Inductive peripheral retention device techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a plug configured to removably engage a communication port of a device to form a communicative coupling with the device. The plug is securable to and removable from the device using one or more hands of a user. The apparatus also includes a peripheral securing portion connected to the plug and configured to removably engage a peripheral device via an inductive element formed as a flexible loop and configured to form a communicative coupling between the peripheral device and the device, which may be used to support charging of the apparatus.
US09424046B2 Systems and methods for load canceling in a processor that is connected to an external interconnect fabric
Systems and methods for load canceling in a processor that is connected to an external interconnect fabric are disclosed. As a part of a method for load canceling in a processor that is connected to an external bus, and responsive to a flush request and a corresponding cancellation of pending speculative loads from a load queue, a type of one or more of the pending speculative loads that are positioned in the instruction pipeline external to the processor, is converted from load to prefetch. Data corresponding to one or more of the pending speculative loads that are positioned in the instruction pipeline external to the processor is accessed and returned to cache as prefetch data. The prefetch data is retired in a cache location of the processor.
US09424044B1 Silent mode and resource reassignment in branch prediction logic for branch instructions within a millicode routine
A method, system, and computer program product of utilizing branch prediction logic in a system that processes instructions that include a branch are described. The method includes identifying the branch as conventionally predictable or not conventionally predictable, and based on the branch being identified as not conventionally predictable according to the identifying, either foregoing branch prediction and reallocating, using a processor, the branch prediction logic to another thread of the instructions or performing, using the processor, the branch prediction and speculative execution of one or more of the instructions following the branch to obtain prediction information. Based on the performing the branch prediction and the speculative execution, the method also includes verifying a match between a branch end according to the instructions and a branch end according to the branch prediction prior to providing the prediction information to a second processor processing the instructions.
US09424039B2 Instruction for implementing vector loops of iterations having an iteration dependent condition
A processor is described having an instruction execution pipeline. The instruction execution pipeline includes an instruction fetch stage to fetch an instruction. The instruction identifies an input vector operand whose input elements specify one or the other of two states. The instruction execution pipeline also includes an instruction decoder to decode the instruction. The instruction execution pipeline also includes a functional unit to execute the instruction and provide a resultant output vector. The functional unit includes logic circuitry to produce an element in a specific element position of the resultant output vector by performing an operation on a value derived from a base value using a stride in response to one but not the other of the two states being present in a corresponding element position of the input vector operand.
US09424036B2 Scalable decode-time instruction sequence optimization of dependent instructions
Producer-consumer instructions, comprising a first instruction and a second instruction in program order, are fetched requiring in-order execution, the second instruction is modified by the processor so that the first instruction and second instruction can be completed out-of-order, the modification comprising any one of extending an immediate field of the second instruction using immediate field information of the first instruction or providing a source location of the first instruction as an additional source location to source locations of the second instruction.
US09424031B2 Techniques for enabling bit-parallel wide string matching with a SIMD register
Various embodiments are generally directed to overcoming limitations of vector registers in their use with bit-parallel string matching algorithms. An apparatus includes a processor element; and logic to receive a pattern comprising a first string of elements to employ in a string matching operation, instantiate a test bitmask in a first vector register of the processor element, the first vector register comprising multiple lanes, copy bit values at MSB bit positions of the multiple lanes of the first vector register to a first vector mask as a vector value, bit-shift the vector value as a scalar value, bit-shift the first vector register, employ the vector value of the first vector mask to selectively fill LSB bit positions of lanes of a second vector register of the processor element; and OR the second vector register into the first vector register. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09424024B2 System and method for elasticity management of services with a cloud computing environment
A system and method for elasticity management of services for use with a cloud computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a cloud platform enables provisioning of enterprise software applications within a cloud environment, including packaging enterprise applications as service definition packages (SDP), and instantiating the services using service management engines (SME). In an embodiment, an elasticity manager can be used to determine the health of the services, and to take appropriate actions, including detecting events, issuing alerts and/or notifying the orchestration engine to manage the service lifecycle, e.g., to respond to an increased demand for particular services.
US09424017B2 Live operating system installation for Universal Serial Bus devices
A method and apparatus for the installation of a live operating system includes an installation module that automatically detects available portable removable storage devices. The installation module also automatically determines available operating systems for installation on the portable removable storage devices. The determination of available operating systems can include checking for available operating systems on remote servers. The installation module provides a user interface that is populated with the available installation options including the options to select a size of a persistent overlay and the use of encryption. The installation process installs the user selected operating system on the user designated portable removable storage device and validates the installation. The installation can be performed without generating a new partition on the portable removable storage device and without reformatting the device.
US09424013B2 System and method for reducing transactional abort rates using compiler optimization techniques
In transactional memory systems, transactional aborts due to conflicts between concurrent threads may cause system performance degradation. A compiler may attempt to minimize runtime abort rates by performing code transformations and/or other optimizations on a transactional memory program in an attempt to minimize store-commit intervals. The compiler may employ store deferral, hoisting of long-latency operations from within a transaction body and/or store-commit interval, speculative hoisting of long-latency operations, and/or redundant store squashing optimizations. The compiler may perform optimizing transformations on source code and/or on any intermediate representation thereof (e.g., parse trees, un-optimized assembly code, etc.). The compiler may preemptively avoid naïve target code constructions. The compiler may perform static and/or dynamic analysis of a program in order to determine which, if any, transformations should be applied and/or may dynamically recompile code sections at runtime, based on execution analysis.
US09424007B2 System and method for pervasive software platform-based model driven architecture transaction aware application generator
In developing applications for a plurality of node types, a meta-data definition of the application can be captured into an application definition module. The meta-data definition can describe the application for the plurality of node types. A code generation module can then automatically generate the application code for the plurality of node types, including transaction aware code. The code can be compiled per node type and the packaging necessary to deploy the application to the plurality of node types can also be automatically generated.
US09424004B2 Execution guards in dynamic programming
A method for executing a machine code based on a dynamic language is disclosed. An execution guard is created as a value stored in a data structure. The value is representative of an expected condition or a set of conditions for a reusable portion of the machine code. The value representative of the expected condition(s) is compared to an actual value encountered later during execution of a portion of the machine code. The reusable machine code is executed if the actual value corresponds with the value representative of the expected condition(s). The execution guard is invalidated if any of the expected conditions changes.
US09424001B2 Partial updating of diagram display
A creation, editing, and display tool for complex diagrams may enable portions of the diagram to be updated without having to update the entire diagram. The tool may use a set of rules that define the positioning and layout of various elements and relationships between elements in the diagram. The update mechanism may enable the rules to be applied to a subset of the diagram and may not update some portions of the diagram, such as those elements outside the viewing area. In some embodiments, a background or low priority process may apply the rules to those portions not updated. The tool may be used for various diagrams, including sequence diagrams and other complex, highly restrained diagram types.
US09424000B2 Instruction for performing a pseudorandom number seed operation
A machine instruction is provided that includes an opcode field to provide an opcode, the opcode to identify a perform pseudorandom number operation, and a register field to be used to identify a register, the register to specify a location in memory of a second operand to be used. The machine instruction is executed, and execution includes obtaining a modifier field of a register associated with the machine instruction; based on the modifier field having a first value, performing a deterministic pseudorandom number seed operation, which includes obtaining seed material based on information stored in the second operand; using a 512 bit secure hash technique and the seed material to provide one or more seed values; and storing the one or more seed values in a parameter block.
US09423994B2 Hierarchical display
Systems and methods that provide a hierarchical display to a user based on a position of the user's focus are described herein. The position of the user's focus may be determined by tracking, for example, a position of the user's eyes, a position of a mouse cursor within the display, a position of an application window within the display, or a combination thereof. Based on the position of the user's focus, the display may be divided into multiple display regions, and the display regions may be ranked, such as by prioritizing a display region that the user is focusing on. Display quality (e.g., transmission rate, image resolution, degree of image compression, etc.) of the display regions may be determined based on the rank of the display regions, thereby providing higher display/image quality to regions based on what the user is actively looking at.
US09423992B2 Management system and control method
A job history processing server issues second agent information for use of when first agent information cannot be acquired from an agent management server. Then, the job history processing server exports, as incomplete information, data received from a collection agent together with the issued second agent information.
US09423990B2 Non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing an account management program, image forming apparatus and image forming system
A non-transitory computer readable recording medium stores an account management program. The account management program causes a computer in a mobile terminal apparatus to perform the steps of: receiving service table data from an image forming apparatus and storing the service table data in the mobile terminal apparatus; receiving account information required to use a service from a user; storing the account information in the mobile terminal apparatus so as to associate the account information with the service; receiving an identification code of the service when the user logs in the image forming apparatus, and storing the identification code in the mobile terminal apparatus so as to associate the identification code with the account information associated with the service; and receiving the identification code from the image forming apparatus when performing the service, and transmitting to the image forming apparatus the account information associated with the received identification code.
US09423987B2 Data processing apparatus configured to execute printing using print setting
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores a printer driver executable by a data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus includes a storage device and is configured to execute application program. The printer driver causes the data processing apparatus to perform: acquiring, in response to receiving a print instruction from the application program, a parameter provided by the application program for at least one setting items relating to printing; determining, as a print setting, one predetermined parameter set of a plurality of predetermined parameter sets that are stored in the storage device, each of the plurality of predetermined parameter sets including a plurality of predetermined parameters for the plurality of setting items relating to printing, the one predetermined parameter set being relevant to the parameter provided by the application program; generating a print command in accordance with the print setting; and outputting the print command to a printer.
US09423985B2 Managing web applications on multi-function peripherals
A MFP includes a Web application and an encoded data generator that is configured to generate encoded access data for the Web application. The encoded access data is generated based upon access data that specifies data for accessing the Web application over a network. The generation of the encoded access data may be initiated in response to installation of the Web application on the MFP, in response to a change in configuration of the MFP or the Web application, or in response to the satisfaction of other criteria. Encoded access data may also be re-generated in response to a change to the access data for a Web application, a change to the configuration of an MFP, or in response to satisfaction of other criteria. The encoded access data for the Web application may be made available to users via a user interface of the MFP, printed by the MFP on a printed medium or transmitted to a client device of a user.
US09423984B2 Storage apparatus and control method thereof
The storage system includes a plurality of storage devices. A storage controller is configured to manage a plurality of pages in a pool provided by at least one of the plurality of storage devices, to provide a virtual storage area to a host by allocating one or more pages from the pool dynamically, in which the virtual storage area is formed with a data area and a control information area. The storage controller is further configured to expand the virtual storage area on a unit basis, where the unit is a set of a given size area of the data area and a given size area of the control information area. In response to a write request from the host, the storage controller is configured to store data into the data area and to store control information for accessing to the data into the control information area.
US09423983B2 Intelligent storage controller
An intelligent storage controller operating in conjunction with a computer running an application that uses the data managed by the intelligent storage controller, and requires data transformation operations to be performed on the data. The intelligent storage controller is adapted to directly perform the data transformation operations on the data controlled by the controller, under the direction of the computer running the application, thereby offloading this processing entirely to the intelligent storage controller. The intelligent storage controller may also provide an application programming interface for the computer running the application to use in directing commands to the intelligent storage controller. To accommodate varying workloads on the intelligent storage controller, data transformation tasks may be load balanced between the intelligent storage controller, the computer running the application, and/or other hosts.
US09423982B2 Storage control apparatus, control method, and computer product
A storage control apparatus includes a memory unit configured to store assignment information that includes assignment states of memory areas of storage units in a system in which switches that connect the storage units with storage control apparatuses that control the storage units are cascade-connected to each other; and a control unit configured to group the storage control apparatuses and the storage units directly connected to the switches, and to provide based on the assignment information, rearrangement control of memory areas assigned in the storage units belonging to each group.
US09423981B2 Logical region allocation with immediate availability
Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a computer to receive a request to allocate one or more logical regions to a logical volume, and to verify, in response to the request, an availability on one or more storage devices of a number of physical regions corresponding to the one or more requested logical regions. In response to the verification, the one or more logical regions can be activated for write operations to a cache, so that any data written to the logical regions is stored to the cache. Subsequent to activating the one or more logical regions, one or more actual physical regions can be allocated to the logical volume. Upon allocating the one or more actual physical regions, any data stored in the cache can be destaged to the one or more actual physical regions.
US09423978B2 Journal management
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for managing a journal. A method may include reordering storage commands based on different storage volumes associated with the storage commands. A method may include reordering storage commands based on different snapshots associated with the storage commands. A method may include adjusting a frequency of writing data from a write buffer based on a rate of write requests. A method may include adjusting a ratio of storage capacity for storing mirrored write data to storage capacity for storing non-mirrored read data.
US09423975B2 Substitution of a target volume of a secondary storage controller for a source volume of a primary storage controller for executing a write operation
A secondary storage controller receives metadata that uniquely identifies a source volume of a primary storage controller. Data stored in the source volume of the primary storage controller is synchronously copied to a target volume of the secondary storage controller. The secondary storage controller receives a command from a primary host to write selected data to the source volume. In response to receiving the command at the secondary storage controller, the selected data is written to the target volume of the secondary storage controller.
US09423974B2 Memory and access and operating method thereof
An access method for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is provided. The method includes partitioning a row address into a first portion and a second portion; providing the first portion of the row address via an address bus and a first active command via a command bus to the memory; and providing the second portion of the row address via the address bus and a second active command via the command bus to the memory after the first active command is provided. The address bus is formed by a plurality of address lines, and a quantity of the address lines is smaller than the number of bits of the row address. A corresponding electronic device is also provided.
US09423966B2 Computer system, storage management computer, and storage management method
A memory stores first configuration information indicating a plurality of logical storage areas and a first condition defining a state of a storage apparatus as a trigger for the storage apparatus to move data. A CPU acquires: a second condition defining a state of a computer as a trigger for the computer to move a first object, which is stored in a first logical storage area among the plurality of logical storage areas and performed by the computer, to another one of the plurality of logical storage areas; second configuration information associating the first object and the first logical storage area; first state information indicating a state of the plurality of logical storage areas; and second state information indicating a state of the first object. If a state of performing data movement is set, the CPU identifies a cause of the state of performing the data movement.
US09423964B1 Data transformation during recycling
Disclosed are systems, computer-readable mediums, and methods for transforming data in a file system. As part of a recycling process, a determination is made that transformations should be attempted. A data block is determined to be in use by at least one user of the storage system. If a transformation should be attempted on the data block is determined. Parameters associated with the performance of the file system can be used in this determination. A type of transformation to be done is determined. The data block is transformed based upon the selected transformation. The transformed data block is written to the storage system. As part of the recycling process, the transformation requires no additional input/output requests.
US09423958B2 System and method for managing expansion read-only memory and management host thereof
A system and a method for managing an expansion read-only memory (ROM), and a management host thereof are provided. The management host is connected with a computer host through a bridge. The management host establishes an address lookup table to assign a virtual function and an expansion ROM corresponding to the virtual function. When a request is issued by the computer host to obtain a size of the expansion ROM, the management host provides data in a shadow register block corresponding to the expansion ROM to the computer host according to the address lookup table. The computer host assigns a memory block in the computer host to the expansion ROM according to the data in the shadow register block. When a request is issued by the computer host to obtain data of the expansion ROM through the bridge, the management host provides the data of the expansion ROM to the computer host according to the memory block.
US09423957B2 Adaptive system provisioning
A method includes determining a plurality of configuration entries based on received provisioning requests and further based on provisioning system resource utilization data. Each configuration entry includes a corresponding virtual system template, and a corresponding number of virtual systems to be provisioned. The method also includes provisioning the corresponding number of virtual systems for a first configuration entry in the plurality of configuration entries. The corresponding number of virtual systems are provisioned based on the corresponding virtual system template for the first configuration entry. The method additionally includes storing the provisioned virtual systems in a resource pool and processing a provisioning request utilizing a pre-provisioned virtual system stored in the resource pool.
US09423956B2 Emulating a stretched storage device using a shared storage device
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include receiving a device discovery command from a recovery manager running on a management server within a first or second datacenter. In response to the device discovery command, device identifiers for one or more logical storage devices within the first datacenter are requested. In response to the request, a device discovery response including a first identifier is received. The received device discovery response is modified to include the first device identifier as the identifier for both an underlying logical storage device and as an identifier for a peer logical storage device. The modified response is returned to the recovery manager in response to the device discovery command.
US09423953B2 Emulating pressure sensitivity on multi-touch devices
A method, device, and/or computer program product operates a touch-screen device. A first touch at a location on a touch-screen is detected. A second touch on the touch-screen, which occurs simultaneously with the first touch on the touch-screen, is detected. A pressure of the detected second touch is calculated and assigned to the detected first touch. A specific touch-screen output is generated according to the location and assigned calculated pressure of the detected first touch.
US09423952B2 Device, method, and storage medium storing program
According to an aspect, a device includes a touch screen display and a controller. The touch screen display displays a lock screen provided with a display area in which any of a plurality of icons is displayed. The controller displays any of the icons in the display area according to a first touch gesture detected through the touch screen display while the lock screen is displayed.
US09423951B2 Content-based snap point
This document describes content-based snap points and techniques that use these snap points. In some embodiments, multiple content-based snap points are used to stop at points in content that are convenient, prevent overshooting of important parts in the content, and/or aid user's in manipulating and consuming the content.
US09423946B2 Context sensitive actions in response to touch input
Techniques for performing context-sensitive actions in response to touch input are provided. A user interface of an application can be displayed. Touch input can be received in a region of the displayed user interface, and a context can be determined. A first action may be performed if the context is a first context and a second action may instead be performed if the context is a second context different from the first context. In some embodiments, an action may be performed if the context is a first context and the touch input is a first touch input, and may also be performed if the context is a second context and the touch input is a second touch input.
US09423945B2 Avatar integrated shared media experience
A method and system are disclosed in which a group of people are able to replicate the physical world experience of going with a group of friends to pick a movie, watch the movie together, and provide commentary on the movie itself in the virtual world on a virtual couch while each user is sitting in different physical locations. Additionally, the virtual representation of the destination that the group of people are watching the movie together in can be themed to allow users to watch movies in different locations pivoting on special events or by the users choice.
US09423940B2 Dynamic annotation in user information system of IR camera
The present invention relates in general to the field of applications and functions of an IR-camera device operated by a user in connection with the recording of IR images and to processing of IR images on a computer application program. A system for managing annotations to IR images comprising selectable annotation input functions that are actuatable by means of control commands displayed on the display is disclosed.
US09423939B2 Dynamic adjustment of user interface
Embodiments related to dynamically adjusting a user interface based upon depth information are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method including receiving depth information of a physical space from a depth camera, locating a user within the physical space from the depth information, determining a distance between the user and a display device from the depth information, and adjusting one or more features of a user interface displayed on the display device based on the distance.
US09423938B1 Methods, systems, and computer program products for navigating between visual components
Methods and systems are described for navigating between visual components. A first visual component, of a first application in a plurality of applications, is detected in a first application region of a presentation space of a display device. A first navigation area is presented, in a first navigation region determined based on the first application region, for navigating to a second visual component, of a second application in the plurality, in a second application region in the presentation space. A user input corresponding to the first navigation area is detected. In response to the detected user input, navigation information is sent to navigate to the second visual component.
US09423931B2 Thumbnail display apparatus, thumbnail display method, and computer readable medium for switching displayed images
A thumbnail display apparatus includes a display that displays, one by one, thumbnail images corresponding to plural pages included in a document, the thumbnail images being generated by reducing images of the corresponding pages included in the document to a predetermined size, a detecting unit that detects a sliding operation of an object, the sliding operation being performed when the thumbnail image displayed by the display being touched by the object, and a controller that performs, in response to detection of the sliding operation by the detecting unit, page switching so as to sequentially switch the page of the document whose thumbnail image is being displayed by the display to other pages.
US09423924B2 Method and system for controlling display device and computer-readable recording medium
A portable device and a method for controlling a display device include receiving first display information of a first arrangement of icons displayed on a screen of the display device, displaying the first arrangement of icons on a display of a portable device based on the first display information, modifying the first arrangement of icons displayed on the display of the portable device to generate a second arrangement of icons, generating second display information based on the second arrangement of icons, and transmitting to the display device a request to display the second arrangement of icons on the display of the display device, the request comprising the second display information.
US09423923B1 Navigation methods, systems, and computer program products
Methods and systems are described for navigating between visual components. A first visual component, of a first application in a plurality of applications, is detected in a first application region of a presentation space of a display device. A first navigation area is presented, in a first navigation region determined based on the first application region, for navigating to a second visual component, of a second application in the plurality, in a second application region in the presentation space. A user input corresponding to the first navigation area is detected. In response to the detected user input, navigation information is sent to navigate to the second visual component.
US09423921B2 System for providing information to a user
A system for providing information to a user includes a screen for showing the information to the user, receiving means for receiving one or more values from a source of values on which values the information shown to the user is based, generating means for generating two or more data lines wherein each of said data lines comprises at least one data set, wherein the data sets comprise data which are based on said values and wherein the data sets are assigned to at least two data lines by predetermined or changeable criteria displaying means for simultaneously showing said two or more data lines to the user on said screen, and highlighting means for visually highlighting at least one data set out of said two or more data lines according to at least one criterion.
US09423917B2 Capacitive touch panel
A capacitive touch panel includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and an isolation layer. First and second sensing electrode serials are disposed on surfaces of the first and second transparent substrates, respectively. The first sensing electrode serials are formed by cascading first sensing electrodes. A first hollow region is formed between two adjacent first sensing electrodes. A first compensating electrode is formed in the first hollow region on the surface of the first transparent substrate. The second sensing electrode serials are formed by cascading second sensing electrodes. A second hollow region is formed between two adjacent second sensing electrodes. A second compensating electrode is formed in the second hollow region on the surface of the second transparent substrate. The isolation layer is disposed between the first and second transparent substrates.
US09423910B2 Display device having pattern and method of detecting pixel position therein
A display device and method having a pattern are provided. The display device includes a plurality of color filters which correspond to one or more sub-pixels constituting a pixel of the display device; and a black matrix formed between the plurality of color filters, wherein the one or more sub-pixels include one or more position marks indicating an absolute position of each pixel of the display device and one or more error correction marks for correcting an error when the one or more position marks are detected.
US09423909B2 Method, apparatus and computer program product for user input interpretation and input error mitigation
Provided herein are a method, apparatus and computer program product for interpreting user input and mitigating erroneous inputs on a device. In particular, methods may include receiving an indication of a first touch event, determining, by a touch mediation function, if the first touch event is an erroneous touch event, causing the first touch event to be sent to an application in response to the touch mediation function determining that the touch event is not erroneous; and causing the first touch event to not be sent to the application in response to the touch mediation function determining that the first touch event is erroneous. The first touch event may occur proximate a first capture area for the user interface and the method may further include causing the first capture area for the user interface to be adjusted in response to the first touch event.
US09423906B2 Drive system adaptable to a matrix scanning device
The present invention is directed to a drive system adaptable to a matrix scanning device. A number of first drive circuits are disposed on a first periphery along a first direction of a substrate with each said first drive circuit being coupled to at least one column wire of the matrix scanning device. A number of second drive circuits are disposed on a second periphery along a second direction of the substrate with each said second drive circuit being coupled to at least one row wire of the matrix scanning device. A master controller controls the first drive circuits and the second drive circuits. A bus is electrically coupled to the master controller, the first drive circuits and the second drive circuits.
US09423905B2 Providing an elevated and texturized display in a mobile electronic device
A mobile electronic device may have a multi-touch display device and a texturizing polymer layer. The texturizing polymer layer may elevate a surface portion of the texturizing polymer layer to a level to texturize information displayed on the multi-touch display device. A gesture may be detected for the elevated surface portion.
US09423903B2 Touch screen panel
A capacitive touch screen panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first electrode serials arranged in parallel in a first direction, a plurality of second electrode serials arranged in parallel intersecting the first electrode serials, a plurality of first routing wires, a plurality of second routing wires and an insulation layer that electrically insulates the first electrode serials from the second electrode serials, wherein each of the first electrode serials includes a plurality of first electrode patterns and a plurality of first connection patterns, and wherein a first conductive layer of the first routing wire, a first conductive layer of the second routing wire, and the first connection patterns are formed in the same layer.
US09423899B2 Display device
A display device includes a first pixel electrode corresponding to a first pixel area. The display device further includes a transistor electrically connected to the first pixel electrode. The display device further includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction and including a first gate line, the first gate line being electrically connected to the transistor and being configured to transmit a first gate signal for controlling the transistor. The display device further includes a plurality of first-type sensors including a first first-type sensor, the first first-type sensor being configured to provide a first output signal according to at least the first gate signal. The display device further includes a processing part electrically connected to the first first-type sensor and configured to use the first output signal for determining a first coordinate value associated with a touch applied on the display device.
US09423898B2 Preparation method of one glass solution touch screen
A method of preparing an OGS touch screen is disclosed. The method includes forming a first film layer on a provided substrate, where the first film layer includes at least one hollow region and a protection film surrounding each hollow region. The method also includes tempering each hollow region by tempering the substrate, and removing the protection film on the substrate.
US09423896B2 Method for representing a tactile image and touch screen apparatus for performing the method
A method for representing a tactile image and providing a touch function and a haptic feedback function to a tactile touch panel includes: applying a touch driving voltage to the tactile touch panel; and applying a tactile voltage corresponding to an image to be displayed to the tactile touch panel in a blanking interval when the touch driving voltage may be not applied to a plurality of touch driving lines of the tactile touch panel, when a touch sensing voltage corresponding to a touch on the tactile touch panel may be received through a plurality of touch sensing lines of the tactile touch panel.
US09423887B2 Method of adjusting sampling precision of a navigation device, related navigation device and related terminal device
A method of adjusting sampling precision of a navigation device is disclosed in the present invention. The sampling precision represents counts per inch (CPI) or dots per inch (DPI) of the navigation device. The method includes determining a predetermined mode of the navigation device, obtaining resolution of a display, and adjusting the sampling precision according to the resolution and the predetermined mode, so that the sampling precision of the navigation device can be accordingly increased and decreased due to variation of the resolution.